The Lion and the Wolf
by Ezeiel
Summary: "Let's flip a coin. Heads, I'm yours, Tails, you're mine." She's a Wolf of Winterfell... Wolf blood courses through her raging body. A wolf is untameable; she's as unconquered and unbeaten as the northern snow. No man can tame a Wolf of Winterfell, the Red Viper tried but perhaps, a golden Lion could once and for all.
1. Prologue: Winter was Coming

**A/N: So here is the first chapter of my Game of Thrones story! *Screams happily* It starts from when - well you can it and then you'll know. Updates on this story WILL be weekly because I'm still writing it and have no way finished in doing so. But I'm so excited to finally be publishing this on here!**

**This story is rated "T" for numerous reasons, but it will probably change to "M" due to language, violence and adult themes later on in the chapters. Just a warning to let you readers, who might not be comfortable with it. I DO NOT own '_Game of Thrones_' or '_A Song of Ice and Fire_' only my OC, they rightfully belong to HBO and George R R Martin.**

**As you probably saw when you clicked on this story, it is a Jaime LannisterxOFC but Oberyn Martell also ties in with the relationship which will be explained as the story goes on. I**** don't think Oberyn actually really qualifies as a love interest for our main character in this story, but he has a past with her.**

**But anyhow, I hope you enjoy, read, and review.**

**Winter was Coming.**

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><p>Forcing her way through the growing crowd, she found herself stood directly in front of the Baelor. The King was already there, with his bitch of a mother, his Dog, her sister then there was Littlefinger and Varys. A royal party. There was only one thing missing as far as Eliana was concerned... Moon Boy, with his stupid songs and dancing, poking fun at the unfortunate.<p>

As the bells continued to ring through the city, the crowd was multiplying by the second - merchants, beggars, stable hands, sailors... everyone came when the bells sounded, like they'd all been trained. Trained hounds, hoping for a treat. But then again, she supposed that was exactly what they were about to get. In all her young life, she'd never met anyone who didn't like seeing someone else's head roll. Yes, they could pretend it was sad, or act like they were disgusted by it but deep down, _deep down_, there was a part of every person who loved to see blood, loved the smell of death and to watch the life seep out of another man's form.

Ned Stark stared out at the crowd again - the square was packed now - as he was led out by two of his jailers. The people shouted, demanding his repentance, that he be killed, throwing insults as aimlessly as a child would throw a ball. But through it all, he found her standing there in the crowd.

He didn't want any of them there, not his children. He didn't want them to witness his punishment; he didn't want their last memory of him being when he would lose his head. He knew what Ilyn had planned... killing him with his own dammed sword - how awful and cruel for him to take down the Lord of Winterfell with his own Valyrian steel blade. But as much as it pained him, he knew that his eldest, despite it all, would stay throughout it all. Ah, but she was a Stark and she was much like her mother.

_Family, duty, honour. Family comes first. Always._

Eliana found her sister again, still stood atop on the Baelor beside the Queen. She was smiling, thinking she'd helped save her father's life but she was a child... she knew nothing of treason, nothing of the punishments carried out. She was a foolish girl, thinking she'd done him well. She'd made the stupid mistake of trusting the Queen, of trusting her one-dimensional son. Trust was a fragile thing, it was not meant to be easily given - but it was often easily broken and thrown aside. She would learn soon enough.

_"I am Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Hand of the King,"_ Stark began, looking to his daughter who stood beside the Queen, who was all smiles and nods.

"_I come before you to confess my treason in the sight of Gods and men. I betrayed the faith of my King and the trust of my friend Robert. I swore to protect and defend his children, but before his blood was cold I plotted to murder his son... And seize the Throne for myself._" Suddenly, there was a great uproar at his words - someone in the crowd even threw something which hit him in the side of the head. Ilyn Payne got a small chuckle out of that, poor Ned Stark seemed unfazed. The King's Dog caught his arm and forced him forward, continuing to give his speech that no one particularly cared about.

_"Let the high Septon and Baelor the blessed bear witness to what I say. Joffrey Baratheon is the one true heir to the Iron Throne, by the Grace of all the gods, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."_

Old Pycelle stepped up at his words. It was no lie - the Grand Maester was useless, hopeless, and a dirty old man_. "As we sin, so do we suffer. This man has confessed his crimes in sight of Gods and men. The Gods are just but beloved Baelor taught us they can also be merciful. What is to be done with this traitor, Your Grace?"_

The crowd seemed to roar their opinions but Joffrey slowly raised his hand and began to speak, and then the shouts died down again.

_"My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join The Night's Watch. Stripped of all titles and powers, he would serve the realm in permanent exile. And My Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father."_ He paused for a moment to stare at the two women while Ilyn found his hands twitching anxiously as he stared at the hilt, itching to pull the steel free.

_"But they have the soft hearts of women. So long as I am your King, treason shall never go unpunished."_ The King finally looked over to where he stood, then his gaze stilled and turned cold. _"Ser Ilyn, bring me his head!"_

She didn't really take much notice of what happened around her after that. It was noisy, everyone was shouting. She saw Varys run over to the King, she saw the two jailors force her father onto his knees, she saw Sansa panicking while Cersei was attempting to talk some sense into her son. Yet it all faded into the background and became unimportant.

Their eyes locked onto each other's again. The dark grey eyes met the same pair with flecks of blue. The father and daughter stared at each other as he sat on his knees waiting for his life to end.

She could see the fear in his eyes.

And he could see the fear reflecting in her own.

Eliana glanced to her side, spotting Yoren who was watching her and waiting for her to signal when the time was right. Arya couldn't watch this, she was too young for this. She nodded and Yoren disappeared soon enough.

Arya couldn't see this.

Ser Ilyn's face was set, he stepped from where he stood, pulling his hood over his head even as he approached the former Hand of the King, every movement controlled and practiced, his steps smooth yet unnerving. All he could see and think about was the kill. He had a job to do, and he would perform.

He drew the Valryian steel blade from its sheath, the rasp of metal on leather rung through the crowd, and then he made his way calmly Ned Stark. The man looked once at his daughter, then at the crowd where he found his other child, then at the statue of Baelor. His grey eyes landed on her again, she nodded and he bowed his head and exposed his neck. Ilyn took a test swing, gauging the weight of the blade and noting how easily it cut through the air, the tip of the greatsword a few inches from Ned Stark's neck. The swing was smooth, practiced, and he found the weight of the blade acceptable.

He lifted the blade over his head, and brought it down in a wide arc. It slid through Ned Stark's neck like a knife through butter, barely even catching a thing when it hit bone.

He turned and sheathed the blade, then bent down to take a firm hold of Ned Stark's fallen head by the hair, picking it up and holding it high for the crowd to see. He brought it next to Joffrey and knelt, offering it to the King. It would be put on a spike, on a display for the whole city to see. Let a lesson be learnt - Justice would come to make them pay for their sins, and Ser Ilyn Payne was the emissary sent to teach them.

She swore she felt her heart freeze over for once and all.

Her father was dead, the only man she loved with all her heart, suddenly gone from this world.

She gritted her teeth as a poor attempt to stop the tears. Her hands reached for her hood and pulled it over her head, before she began pushing back through the crowds and away from the scene. She knew Arya would be safe with Yoren and Sansa, she could only hope that she would be able to take care of herself while in the Queen's wrath.

Soon they would realise something that the Starks had been telling them for generations.

Winter was coming, and so was war.

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**

**Ezeiel**


	2. Along the Kingsroad

**A/N: Chapter two! Whoop! Whoop! I'm so excited about this story - I don't think anyone actually realises how obsessed I am with GoT and ASOIAF... I really want you all to enjoy the story as much as I am writing it because then that makes it only more enjoyable but it also (I think) creates a connection between the author and the reader - not that I rate myself as a great author. ****I have a lot of things I definitely need to improve on. ****If I don't update, guess what?! It usually means I'm stressed out from school but believe it or not, this site and Art seem to relieve my stress (this is just incase you get worried if they isn't an update on the day I said I was going to upload one).**

**Also, I keep getting these ideas that I write down in my little pad - basically in the chapters I've already begun to develop on the pages. I get so excited when a new idea springs to mind. I have all these ideas that seem amazing, but I know I won't be able to include all of them - not that I won't try to anyway. ****I'm sorry, I rambled. I do that... I warn you all now though, some updates may be delayed due to my ongoing coursework but I will try to perceive as ever to bring you updates when I can - weekly. Yes, I repeat myself.**

**Thanks for the reviews so far! It makes me happy. :)**

**Along the Kingsroad.**

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><p>Eliana Stark wasn't scared of many things. She wasn't a normal girl, she wasn't a girl she was a woman and not a normal one; she didn't scream and she didn't cry... She never attempted to seduce a man, she never wanted to marry or have children. She wasn't weak and defenceless but right now, she was running through the entwining brush, almost tripping over her own feet.<p>

She never ran from nothing. Nothing.

But she was missing her father; the only person who only ever really understood her properly. The only person who supported her and taught her the wrongs from the rights. He was the only one who made the effort... who tried to capture her interest with different things.

Somehow, Ned had always known she was different, always trying to spark her intrigue with various activities that were enjoyable; sword, mace, lance... he also placed a deep amount of trust in her unlike her mother, he believed in her more than Catelyn did.

Eliana knew why though.

Her mother loved her - that she couldn't deny, but her father loved her more - if his public affection towards her was anything to go on. Catelyn wanted a girl for a daughter, not a daughter who prefers brawling in the mud with her brothers. She wanted a _daughter _and Eliana wasn't a _daughter_, not a proper young lady anyway. But neither was Arya, at least she had one daughter who was a _proper young lady_, even if she was "_in bloody love_" with the little shit sat on the Iron Throne.

Sansa was so young and naïve - thinking that Joffrey was everything she had wanted and she would always find herself thinking... _how could anyone love a one sided person, who was as sadistic and cruel as Joffrey?_ Eliana just couldn't help but feel confused as to why no one had ever questioned Joffrey's claim to the throne. He was golden-haired just like his mother and uncle. The Baratheons were known for their dark hair, and the Lannister were known for their golden hair.

It wasn't hard... but no one _of course_ questioned a King but King's Landing was full of cowards and liars. The City of Lies, no one there was to be trusted... death was the most sensible option on offer.

Death was far kinder.

There was no doubt in her mind, that if she were to set foot in that place again she would be wanted for treason against Joffrey and then he would want her head on a spike... beside her father's - a new addition to his collection, but she wouldn't die without a fight even if she wasn't afraid of death.

She wasn't weak, she was stronger than most and thought clearer and more practically...

She was brought from her thoughts when she heard shallow breaths echoing around her, the only sound which was strangely comforting, was coming from her side. Shadow. She wasn't completely alone; everyone knew that Ned Stark had given his children the direwolf pups that had been found in the forest just outside of Winterfell. And she had one. Unlike her siblings, her's was the purest of blacks, with piercing blue eyes.

An odd combination, rare in fact.

Direwolves didn't often come like that. There was the common grey with yellow eyes and black with green eyes. Albino direwolves had the purest white fur with crimson red eyes.

Jon's direwolf, Ghost, was an Albino direwolf.

The chosen names of the direwolves were ironic - Ghost was white and Shadow was black. In her opinion, poor choice of names yet it suited them well enough. Shadow and Ghost were the only exceptions of the pack found, that reflected how Eliana felt. She and Jon were treated differently from their other siblings; favoured by Eddard more than Catelyn.

Her eyes focused on the direwolf again. Shadow was still a mere pup, but he was growing stronger by the day and soon would be a fully grown Direwolf. Direwolves could grow as large as ponies. Their legs grew longer and their head were larger than normal wolves with teeth that could crush bone... even a juvenile direwolf could kill a man by ripping out his throat. Direwolves were loyal to their masters and would attack anyone who dared threaten them, but that didn't make her any less cautious towards the beast.

She sighed, remembering her father's words... _A direwolf will rip a man's arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. _That's what she was worried about, that's where her caution had submerged and worried her.

She was grateful though, at least a direwolf would listen to her. She could only imagine if she tried to find her way on a horse - she wouldn't be able to discuss what she was going to do with a horse could she? It would be as amusing as watching a Moon Boy if she even attempted to make an impossible conversation with the horse. A horse would also cause more of a risk to her being found by Tywin's army.

She was grateful.

But she had more pressings matters to consider. She knew she couldn't return to Winterfell, her mother wasn't there. When she thought about it though, she actually had no idea where her mother was for that matter. Her brother had gone to war with the King and here she was, running.

At any moment, Tywin Lannister's army could have her. But she had to take the risk, and then she realised how badly she was underestimating herself. She was better than that, she wasn't stupid and she knew her way better than most, she was born in the north!

She was better than that.

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><p>She was a Stark of Winterfell, a Wolf of the North who was travelling all alone along the Kingsroad(not entirely the best choice she could've chosen) not straying far from the dirt tracks though. She'd travelled the path many times before, she just couldn't be too sure of what she would encounter along the way if she was to stray.<p>

Eliana wasn't stupid.

She knew her way, she'd followed the dirt path through the capital's Dragon Gate and passed east of the God's Eye. But she crossed those not even a day ago, she hadn't rested because she didn't want to risk being stumbled upon. She had walked for leagues upon leagues, along the river road from the Trident and followed her way along slowly.

She'd also gotten word, when passing an inn at the crossroads that her brother, Robb, had captured Jaime Lannister in the Battle of Whispering Wood. Her brother had forged an alliance with House Frey, which secured him passage over the Trident. Eliana mentally cringed when she'd heard that, Walder Frey was untrustworthy - put an inviting amount of gold or silver in front of him and he'd betray you.

She'd also heard that he'd been joined by additional soldiers from House Frey of the Twins and House Mallister of Seagard, and then he moved on Riverrun from the north as an attempt to outflank the unsuspecting Lannister forces and somehow managed to actually relieve the besieged forces at Riverrun.

Eliana knew that her younger brother had managed to keep his march secret, thanks to the efforts of their great uncle, Ser Brynden Tully, and his outriders who were able to shoot down all of the Lannister ravens and any outriders screening the camps. They say, that every ten men that was lost on the Lannisters side for every one of Robb's that fell.

Several rumours concerning Jaime Lannister had also reached her ears. Some say he begged, others say he taunted and teased her mother and brother but all that mattered to her, was that the bastard had been taken prisoner by her clueless brother.

His capture left the Lannister army surrounding Riverrun leaderless, falling directly into its disintegration at the Battle of the Camps and also leaving his father, Tywin and his bitch sister, Cersei despondent. However, being Jaime Lannister, made him a valuable prisoner to have which would give Robb enormous bargaining power.

_So unfortunately Robb would have to keep him alive_, Eliana thought. Although, not many would be happy with Robb sparing Jaime Lannister's life, Robb would need him to stay alive if they were to win their freedom from the _Realm of Horrors_, as she now called it.

Robb was a boy, a clueless boy who had never fought in a war before. He was as naïve as Sansa - the pair of them were foolish, believing in things that wouldn't ever happen, let alone come true.

But before she even made it to where Robb was, she would have to continue along the Kingsroad to be safe again, and that could take a couple of days at most. _These days, the sea is safer than the kingsroad, h_er father once told her before she left for Dorne. She knew it was dangerous to travel along it alone, but she wasn't alone - she had Shadow who was growing by the day.

Eliana could protect herself - she wasn't useless, she had her sword and her wits about her. She was quiet and thankfully, she was dressed in black which would give her the benefit to move through the darkness easily enough.

Eliana hoped she would find her family again, and no matter how hard it would be... she would avenge her father's death with all she had. She would die doing it if she had to. She would fight with her brother, she would fight with her father's bannerman and the houses that had rallied behind them until they were free from the wrath of King Joffrey, the little Shit.

She would fight for the North's freedom of the realm. Freedom was everything right now.

Freedom was their utopia, their desire - well, it was her's anyway.

She would help kill Cersei. And she would help kill Joffrey... _all_ the Lannisters.

She didn't care what happened to her in the meanwhile, just as long as their aspiration was achieved.

That was all that mattered.

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><p><strong>AN: So, please tell what you all think of chapter two! This one mainly involved Eliana's thoughts and her feelings towards the events surrounding her. That's why it's quite short.**

**In the next chapter, I can promise that she does find her brother and her mother with bitter vengeance raging from her boiling form. Whoa that was deep. Anyway, so things will slowly begin to heat up from now and will hopefully be more interesting. **

**Please read and review!**

**Thanks, thanks, thanks.**

**Ezeiel**


	3. King in the North

**A/N: This is chapter three! Hey guess what, Eliana finally gets to Robb and Catelyn! And things get heated preeety quickly in this one as well. Also, ****Eliana does give the army a proper talking to, showing she's a true northern woman. GIRL POWER, WHOOP! She also shows her bitterness towards Robb and Cat easily enough in this one.**

**And she confronts Jaime Lannister from where he sits in mud and his own shit. Please read and review, yay!**

**Sorry this one's so long!**

**King in the North.**

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><p>The bannermen were the first to notice, followed by most of the rallied troops that had joined his forces when at the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the Battle of the Camps. The sound of a panting dog reach their ears, <em>or was it something else?<em> They weren't sure, not because they were deaf but because a thick fog had gathered around the camp.

They were blind unless it cleared soon.

Through the darkness and wall of ever darkening grey, bared teeth suddenly appeared with unfriendly sound of growling.

Fear filling them, the troops closest didn't waste any time in scattering away from the beast. It wasn't a dog, it was much larger than a dog - that was what was unnerving. It's back was in the shape of a slope as it edging closer, cautiously, its eyes glowing dangerously before it turned its head to the side as if it were listening out for something.

A signal or a sign.

Seeing his chance to catch the beast off guard, a bannerman threw his banner to the ground and picked up a discarded sword. With only hope, he went to throw himself towards the beast. "_Ahh!_" He stumbled back, the sword falling to the hard ground. His panicked eyes fell on his right arm, which now had half an arrow peering out of one side._  
><em>

They saw her head of hair before she rose her head to look up to them all, and they all felt their breath being taken from them at that very moment.

Eliana Stark was beautiful, with the dark hair that would shimmer and reveal the auburn tint to it in the light, grey eyes accompanied by flecks of blue glistening through and with her high cheekbones that caused conflict when deciding which side of the family favoured her looks. She resembled both her mother, Catelyn and her aunt, Lyanna when it came to her looks.

She came to a soundless halt, resting her hand on the soft fur that belonged to Shadow. As soon as her hand rested on him, he retreated and sat silently - mirroring her actions. "Never fight a wolf, it will always win." Her voice weaved through the crowd of staring men, that were making her feel more than uncomfortable.

"My lady Eliana." One man with a beard spoke, he'd remembered what had happened to his Liege Lord, his head was sat on a spike in the capital. Only moments after, the rest that were also gathered continued the action, bowing and speaking in their low voices.

She sighed, _news really does travel fast and he hasn't even been dead three days. _She didn't care about their words, if anything, she'd rather not be known as a lady... she didn't want to be constantly reminded of her father's gruesome departure from the world. But then her eyes fell on the banners and relief filled her.

On one,_ a grey direwolf raced across a field of white _and on the other_, a silver trout leaping on a blue and red striped field._ House Stark of Winterfell and House Tully of Riverrun. She was safe, and somehow, she'd found them. She'd found her brother and her mother, and the feeling of being lost was restored by hope.

However, those weren't the only banners waving through the wind, they were joined in the air by blacks, greys, reds, green, yellows, and blues - all different shades of the houses sworn to the Starks and Tullys. She immediately recognized the more memorable and well-known nobles houses.

She spotted the flayed man first, red on pink. House Bolton of the Dreadfort, one of the most powerful houses of the North - they were known for their practice of flaying their enemies which always made her skin crawl.

Roos Bolton was untrustworthy, she never really trusted any house apart from her own and her mother's.

She then saw the sigil of two blue towers united by a bridge on a silver-grey, representing the Twins.

House Frey of the Crossing, a noble house of the Riverlands. The strategic location of the Twins had allowed the house to become quite wealthy. Under their current lord, Walder Frey, they had grown greatly in both size and power. They were one of the most powerful bannermen of the Tullys, the House could field a thousand knights and three thousand foot.

Eliana, however, didn't trust Walder Frey either.

She saw the blazon of House Karstark next, a white sunburst on black. Karstarks were big, fierce men, bearded and long-haired, with brown hair and blue-grey eyes, and favour wearing cloaks made of the pelts of seals, bears and wolves.

Next came the roaring giant, brown-haired and wearing a skin, with broken silver chains, on flame-red. House Umber of the Last Hearth. She knew they were fiercely loyal to her father.

Her eyes shifted to the silver mailed fist on a scarlet coloured blazon. House Glover of Deepwood Motte, was just another banner waving in the air.

The red stallion upon a golden escutcheon on a brown blazon, House Bracken of Stone Hedge. They weren't sworn to her house but they were sworn to her mother's house, House Tully. They once ruled the Riverlands as during the Age of Heroes, she remembered but those were a mere few of the dozens of banners staring at her.

"Where is my brother?"

Another man spoke then, "He with the other Lords, m'lady... discussing our next move." His eyes then fell on her shoulder, where he saw what look to be a hole left by an arrow. "M'lady you're injured, that needs to be treated."

But he was wrong when chanting broke out in the distance, reaching all their ears and making them all turn and frown. _King in the North! King in the North! King in the North!_

She ignored the protests by the man, and continued along her way... but not in search for her brother any longer.

She wanted her mother.

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><p>Eliana didn't want to see Robb, not right now. It hurt too much to see her brother, knowing that he was leading all these people into a war she knew he wouldn't win - not without <em>proper <em>help.

She knew of tactics and strategies; ways to out-smart the enemy, tricks and plans. She always read on the past wars; the ways they fought and who prevailed and why. She was always prepared for a war, knowing she could handle herself if given the chance.

Eliana was unfamiliar with the layout of the camp, she was struggling to find the whereabouts of her mother. She'd been told that she had gone to see Jaime Lannister, wanting to see him and speak with him of some matters.

Catelyn Tully wasn't hard to find in a crowd, with her fiery auburn hair and those wondrous cerulean blues to accompany them. She'd always said her mother was unbelievably beautiful even if she was entering her thirties. She was beautiful and almost always recognizable but her mother spotted her first.

"Lia!" Catelyn exclaimed, picking up her dress and cloak trains, rushing over in a sprint.

That surprised her... _Eliana was what?_ Twenty-three years-old and she'd never seen her mother look so relieved to see her. "My lovely daughter..." Catelyn trailed off, pulling her eldest child into her arms as she wrapped her arms tightly around her thin frame. She'd missed her _so much_, it had been a little while since she last laid eyes on Eliana. She swore she was growing more beautiful by the day, but if she told her that the response wouldn't be positive from her.

Eliana pulled away from her mother's embrace and swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of her and let her know how weak she was - but that was the human thing to do, cry. And cry she did.

Wiping away the tears falling from her daughter's eyes, Catelyn stared at her and let out a shaky breath. "Don't cry, he would not want you to cry over him - he would say you were stronger than this." She explained, wanting to make her feel better and not blame herself, knowing that was what she was doing at that moment. "He was too honourable for his own good... was it over quickly? He didn't go in pain? Your sisters didn't see did they?"

"No, he wasn't - I mean, I don't think he was..." Eliana didn't want to answer that... she couldn't but her mother asked the question and she would _have _to answer. She couldn't believe she _even _asked her that sort of question. "It was like a knife through butter."

The words hurt but they were true.

A beat of silence.

"Mother-" Eliana began, to only be cut off by Catelyn.

Catelyn's eyes were trained on the spot by her right shoulder that was surrounded by a dark pool of blood. "Lia, what happened to you?" She questioned, her concern growing deeply, now knowing that her daughter had been hurt. "Who did this?"

Following her gaze, Eliana's eyes also fell on the hole from which the arrow had left in her shoulder. "I stumbled across a few Lannister men, I was lucky... they however, weren't." She answered casually, shrugging off her worry. Eliana stepped back properly and licked her lips, looking down briefly while gritting her teeth. "Mother, I have something to ask of you." Her usual confident voice was now quiet and reserved.

Her blue eyes narrowed with worry once again, she'd known something was up. "Which is?" She inquired with her usual steady and warm voice.

"I wish to pledge fealty to you, mother." Catelyn's face froze and Eliana saw the surprise and concern grow in her eyes, and she knew she had to explain. "I did with father, but now that he is gone I need to pledge my sword to another. If you'd allow me, I would not think of another I would rather bend my knee to." Eliana stated, wanting to do something worthy and something right.

"I did not protect him as I should of, because he wouldn't allow me to promise to risk my life for his but you, you need protecting from our enemies." She paused briefly, sighing. "I want to protect you, but you must promise me something, you will not hold me back - never. If I come face to face with Joffrey again, I will kill him."

Frowning with understanding and slight worry for her daughter's fierceness, Catelyn nodded in agreement. "I won't hold you back."

Eliana suddenly dropped to her knees, her sword sitting on the ground in front of her. She didn't care if it was muddy, she didn't care if it was raining... she wanted vengeance and she wanted Joffrey's head, and Cersei's. "Then I am yours, my lady." She vowed, bowing her head. She would protect her mother, even if she died doing so. "I will shield your back from harm, and I will give my life for yours. I swear it by the old Gods and the new."

She could see the sadness in her daughter's eyes, the shame and worthlessness. She didn't know how she'd done it; watching her own father being humiliated in front of the crowds in King's Landing. It wasn't fair, none of it was. She shouldn't have witnessed such a horror.

No child should watch their parents die.

She understood, more than anyone. Eliana had always wanted to belong somewhere, to do something that would be worth it for all the pride she held. "I swear it by the old Gods and the new." Catelyn reached out and placed her hands on either side of her face, lowering her own face before she planted her lips on her forehead. "Now, go back to the main camp while I find Robb."

Nodding, Eliana quietly moved off while her mother watched with pride in her eyes. Her daughter had grown into a fine young woman, a noble woman with a noble name to match. She cherished the happiness, knowing that Eliana was her daughter and that her daughter was a true Stark and Tully.

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><p>Before she'd even realised it, the troops had crowded around her. Their cold, worn faces looking tiredly at her. They needed morale, they needed to hear <em>the <em>words, she knew they needed encouragement to lift their hearts. So, she grabbed a wooden crate and clambered atop of it.

Eliana cleared her throat, all eyes fell on her and then she knew she had their full attention, and then she began to speak. "As you probably all know by now, your Liege Lord Eddard Stark is dead. They beheaded him at the High Sept of Baelor, for the entire City to bear witness." She growled, the memory of her father being beheaded flashing into her mind's eye. "An innocent man who only saw justice in what he was doing! And I call that murder! They murdered your Liege Lord, the Warden of the North!"

"He knew something that many do not... Joffrey Baratheon has no true claim to the throne no matter what Cersei Lannister may say to fool the lot of you, he is not Robert Baratheon's son, any fool would know that and Ned Stark did."

She saw the frowns of confusion on their lost faces, creases forming around their tired eyes. "Joffrey Baratheon is in fact the bastard child of the Lannister twins! He has no Baratheon blood flowing through his veins. He is no stag! He is a lion!" She bellowed, glaring at nothing as she felt something she'd never felt before. "Everywhere we turn there are Lannisters! With their golden hair and smug faces, their claws deep in the skin of their allies, our foes!"

There was a pause.

"_And what are Lions?!_"

The crowd wasted no time in their protests and chants of angst. "Enemies!" They roared, fists flying into the air.

"I speak to you now, not as your better but as one of you..." Eliana begun again, filled with this sudden surge of power and victory... hunger even. "I don't want to be part of a Kingdom that beheads those who want justice, those who do the right things. I don't want to see another Lion interfere with our wishes. I want them dead, and they will die!" She paused quickly but only to continue with her angry speech. "Not because we are stronger, because we are better!"

Cheers erupted then, more fists plunged into the air. The stamp of banner poles started to sound, followed by swords rising as well.

"And are we not _northern folk_?! Are we not as unconquered and unbeaten as the northern snow?!" She questioned, wanting to know they all shared the same feelings of their foes. "We do not forgive, and we will not forget what they've done to us!"

"_The North remembers!_"

Eliana nodded, drawing her sword from its sheath. "I do know one thing, we are the winter and what do we say?!" Her voice rose, like a blizzard in the night that grew around them with anticipation, growing in violence.

"_Winter is coming!_"

"Winter is coming, and it will be one heck of a storm when we do!" Eliana exclaimed, a large smile breaking out onto her face. "I can promise that."

At that moment, the crowd forgot the King in the North, they forgot Robb Stark and remembered his sister. She was headstrong and wilful - just was they needed in a leader. And then they began to chant.

_She-wolf! She-wolf! She wolf!_

Robb turned his head to the side and saw his sister among his bannerman. He'd missed the entire thing, he wanted to know what she'd spoken to them and what had made them react in such a way. When he'd spoken earlier, they reacted well but not as well as they had with Eliana.

Catelyn, however, smiled as she saw the army cheer and her daughter boost the morale of the troops that had fallen slightly upon the news of their liege Lord's death.

"How does she do it?"

Her eyes found her son's bright blue pair, they were staring at her with disappointment. "She's of northern birth, just as you are..." Catelyn told him, her hand falling upon his steady shoulder. "She wants justice, she wants the Lannisters dead and I believe that if that doesn't happen in this war - she will do it herself, given the chance."

Robb shook his head, his auburn head of hair bouncing slightly at the movement. "But she won't - I'm the King in the North, not Lia." Robb declared, feeling a bitterness overcome him.

Sighing, Catelyn bit the inside of her cheek and then spoke with carefulness. "I think your sister will have something to say about that, Robb."

"What do you mean?"

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><p>He grabbed her arm when she made her way to the tent that had been prepared and set up for her. "How could you?" Were his words, full with hurt and betrayal - Catleyn had told him what she'd failed to.<p>

_He heard the rickety door open, turning his head to the side while feeling his thirstiness rise - he expected Varys but he was surprised to see that it was not him. Ned squinted as his eyes tried to focus on her face, and when they did he felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. "Lia..." He let out softly, swallowing hard._

_Quickly, she rushed to his side and opened the waterskin in her hand and handed it to him. "Father, what have they done to you..." She looked at his face, his tired eyes with his warm smile that had magically appeared. "How could they?"_

_"I let the truth get the better of me, I couldn't deny the truth any longer, Lia."_

_Eliana shook her head, "You should have, then you wouldn't be in this horrible mess." She stated, certain that if he'd stayed quiet he wouldn't be sat in the dungeons waiting for his life to end. "I only wish I could have done something sooner - protected you as I should..." But she was stopped when he took her hand in his._

_"You must return to your mother, tell her of what has happened when they've done what they wanted to me." Ned told her quietly, his throat sore and hoarse. He knew she would refuse and that she would want to kill them right there and then. "You must promise me, Eliana, despite what you want. You must promise me."_

_It was her turn to swallow hard then. __She could leave him here to die alone, he was her father - the only man she'd ever loved. It would kill her but she knew she would have to obey his wishes._

_"Promise by the old Gods and the new, promise me Eliana."_

_"I- I promise, by the old Gods and the new."_

_Ned nodded and pressed her hand to his lips, "Then, you must take my place until Robb learns of the wisdom a true Lord must have. He will want revenge and then war will begin - We can't have that. I want you to teach him that, and when your mother decides the time is right - then it will be his turn." He stopped talking again, taking a quick swig of the water. "You will do me proud, you will make all the right choices because you are good and just."_

"They were father's words, why _would_ I say something no true? Why _would_ mother?" Eliana pressed, ripping her arm free from Robb's strong grasp. He just refused to listen to things he didn't like. "He wanted me to teach you the rights and wrongs."

But Robb wasn't listening to her, "You're my sister!" He shouted, chasing after his sister still and only angering her more.

"And what? You just expect me to give you my sword?!" She questioned, stifling cold laugh while turning to look at him. "It belongs rightfully to mother, not you. I will protect her - you have _your_ bannermen."

"I need your support in this."

Eliana sighed and looked down. She couldn't lie to him and tell him what he wanted to hear. They'd always trusted each other and here they were quarreling in the rain. "You won't win, you're a _boy_. You don't know what you're getting yourself into, you're fighting experienced men in battle -"

"I've won every battle so far!" Robb cut her off with a surge of pride and determined to prove her wrong so he could take bite at her.

"So far! That's the child speaking." She backed away from him, shaking her head. "Come talk to me when you've become a proper man." She didn't want to hurt her brother, but she knew if she told the truth, he would understand what he needed to. He needed to know that there were other important things beside vengeance and victory.

Robb felt his anger rise within him, simply knowing that Eliana wasn't following him the way he wanted her to. "I am a man!" He defended his honour, he wouldn't let her insult him so _she _could get what she wanted.

"You could've fooled me!"

He lost it then, he was sick of her remarks and not trusting him. "Well, if you'd stayed by father's side like you promised but no. He's got his head on a spike thanks to you..." Robb stopped himself before he truly went to far.

That hurt her properly then. He'd stabbed her and twisted the blade in deep.

"And he would have called you stupid! A boy doesn't go to war! You call yourself a wise King! A King does not look for war, he does not start one!"

Robb pushed her back with his hand, "Take that back, now." He pointed his finger at her, before sending her another quick shove.

Eliana stepped forward and took hold of the straps that held up his cloak. She pulled him to the right and then let go which easily sent Robb to the floor, she then forced her fist against his face in a moment of anger and irritation. Robb, acting purely on retaliation, hit her back. Of course, he hit harder but she was strong as well. Stronger than she looked.

They'd brawled many times before, this was no different. Although Eliana was at least a few years older than Robb, they appeared to be joined at the hip most of the time but this fight was absolutely no different.

They continued until a loud, enraged voice sounded. "Stop it! Stop it both of you!" With all her strength she could find, Catelyn pulled Eliana off her brother, making her stand on her feet. "What do you both think you're playing at? We're at war and you're both brawling in the mud!" The pair fell silent at her shouting, letting the eyes fall upon their muddy boots.

"Well?"

Eliana sighed, rolling her eyes before drawling out her words with the hint of boredom. "Well _what_, mother?"

"Who started this and why?" Catelyn demanded, not fully understanding her children's disagreement with each other but also knowing that it had been serious by how quickly the fight had escalated.

"Mother, it was my fault."

Eliana was shocked, Robb never took the blame for anything. But, now he had admitted to starting the fight when she knew she was the one who had started it. He met her gaze and shrugged innocently with a small smile playing at his lips.

"I want both of you to apologise." Catleyn spoke, glancing between her two children, noticing the tension between them. "_Now_."

Knowing that defiling her would have no effect whatsoever, Robb nodded and gave in. "I'm sorry for insulting you, Lia. I didn't mean a word I spoke... I was upset, I felt betrayed and hurt by father's choice." He explained, knowing that it was true. He wanted to be father's favourite, he wanted to be in her position and have his entire love and favour... but that was Eliana's gift.

Catelyn set her blue eyes on Eliana, and waited silently for her to apologise but when she didn't, she rose an eyebrow in her direction. "Lia?" She questioned, knowing how stubborn her daughter could be at times. All wolves were hot-tempered at the best of times.

And she was right.

"I don't apologise to boys who call themselves Kings." There it was, the bitterness. The Stark bitterness, they all had it and inherited it through generations and it was a sour bitterness. A horrible one.

Robb's fists tightened at her words, moving toward Eliana again but Catelyn forced her hand against his chest, stopping him. Catelyn rolled her eyes, stepping in front of Robb to make sure he didn't do any more damage. "Eliana."

"Don't _Eliana_ me."

Her impatience got the better of her then, and Catelyn's hand crossed her cheek in a quick, swift movement. The pain wasn't instant but it wasn't long before she felt her cheek begin to throb and tingle with a strange sensation.

Stunned, Eliana's eyes stilled as they found her mother's. She saw the realisation rise in those Tully eyes of hers but it was too late, she was already gone. She could hear her mother calling her name and saying that she was sorry in the distance as she drew further away from where they stood.

One thing she never tolerated was being struck by her parents. Her father never touched her in such a way, her mother however, that was an entirely different story... Catelyn didn't do it very often but she still didn't agree with it.

From where he sat far from the camp, Jaime Lannister watched the three Stark's fight like a wild pack of dogs. They were wild wolves but by the Gods, was it an entertaining show to watch from where he sat. "You're wild, little wolf!" He boasted with a mocked howl, smiling to himself as he saw her turn his way. But then his eyes widened when saw her draw her sword and then she was stalking towards where he sat in the mud.

He didn't think she would confront him, he didn't think she was confident enough but obviously she was.

He slowly raised his head when he heard her footsteps move through the thick mud and closer to where he'd been issued away from the camp. He cursed the Gods and the Seven Hell's for his stupid imprisonment, he'd never been defeated that quickly before - he was known as the 'Kingslayer', and he couldn't even stop his own men from being killed by an apparent _King of the North_.

He frowned though, when he spotted the faint red mark rising on her cheek which led him to one conclusion. Catelyn had struck her. Without thinking, he let his thoughts get the better of him, "She struck you?"

Eliana shrugged, her eyes falling on her sword. "I get a bit carried away at times - she doesn't often accept my opinions or my stubbornness." She admitted as if it was no problem at all... as if she were used to it, that she knew she probably deserved it. "She thinks I'm irresponsible and reckless - I know she secretly blames me for my father's death, she thinks I should've acted sooner - I can see it in her eyes..."

He continued to stare at her, confusion lacing his muddy features.

"What?" Eliana asked, knowing what he was thinking, exactly what he was thinking. She couldn't hit her own mother, that would truly make her a monster. "I can't hit her back, she's my mother." Her voice was soft and held a joking tone to it.

Through the mud covering his face, he glanced up to see the dark yet kind face of the eldest Stark child. She had always been a mystery to him, from when she'd almost ran him down with her horse and when protecting her father in King's Landing, not that he really remembered the scene because he was too stunned.

But he remembered cutting her, they fought briefly but the fight was unfair. One of his men had grabbed her and restrained her but Jaime _had_ taken advantage of that, and cut her along the neck. The scar was visible to him, it glistened in the light, shining a pinky-red shade. It wasn't as ugly as what he could've done, he considered himself generous - choosing to not mark her to the point of sheer embarrassment.

Deep down though, Jaime respected her - he didn't know why, he just did? Jaime didn't want to, bu he couldn't help but do so. She deserved respect, she wasn't weak like the other women.

He knew that everyone described Eliana Stark as mischievous but she he knew she was just "wolf-blooded" - headstrong, wilful, courageous and hot-tempered just like her aunt Lyanna. But she also shared her mother's characteristics; she was proud, strong, kind, and generous. She was seen as honourable and upright by acquaintances but she was her father's daughter; having a good sense of honour and justice, and that seemed to get the better of her.

Jaime shook his head slightly, remembering her earlier statement. "No, not that." He spoke which surprised her. "How could he blame you for dear ol' Ned's death? Did you behead him? Did you force him to commit treason?" Jaime pressed, moving onto his knees and see her properly but she moved her sword to his throat. His breath hitched and he gulped, his Adam's apple skimming across the ice-cold steel.

Eliana sighed and sheathed her sword and Jaime relaxed. "We Starks are attracted to treason like flies are to a dead corpse." She joked weakly from which he sent her a small smile.

"You were right though."

Her brows rose then, intrigued by what he meant. "Right about what?" She was intrigued now, rubbing her wrists before she sunk to the floor to look him dead in the eye properly.

Jaime licked his lips, "He is a boy, a boy who hasn't tasted defeat." Jaime agreed with her earlier words but he didn't want to become best friends with the traitors. "And you, well... you're a little girl."

At that, her hand fell on her sword. "And you lost to that _boy_." Were her sharp words, her sharp, vicious words.

Jaime fell dead-silent - like he'd just been struck by her sword already, which of course was sat perfectly still in its sheath. He was being played at his own game by a Stark who was at least nine or ten years younger than he was, and by the Gods, was she good at it.

"And I thought your family words were, _hear me roar,_ all I hear is a mouse squeaking for his father to come rescue him."

Jaime nodded before opening his mouth to finally reply with something. "And all I hear is a frightened little girl, whose father's head is sat firmly- " but he couldn't finish his sentence because a large pair of glistening white teeth were bared, followed by a dangerously low growl. He tried to push himself away from the beast but the post at his back stopped his retreat.

With its bright, icy eyes and pure black fur, Shadow emerged from the darkness and easily towered over the fallen Lannister Lion.

He hated direwolves, he hated them. And he also hated Starks but he didn't mean what he'd said.

Eliana stared at him, her eyes hardening into ice. "Don't upset me..." She warned him, as Shadow drew nearer and nearer. "Not when you _were_ doing so well."

"Forgive me..." Jaime rushed out, sighing deeply and trying to set himself right... he should've thought before he opening his mouth to say something he never really meant, despite her being a Stark. "That was unworthy of me."

She silently rose and turned away from him. He wasn't worth her time, his words may have been his only weapon but she had weapons too. And many more than Ser Jaime Lannister did at that particular moment. "Well, you fit right in Ser." Eliana announced, clicking her tongue and then Shadow moved closer towards his cowering face. "We're all unworthy here."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**


	4. Innocence?

**A/N: Hello! HELLO!**

**In this chapter, Catelyn has to find a way to communicate with Eliana when she notices that her daughter has no intention of going anywhere near her or Robb. She holds a grudge and is very stubborn much like her father used to be, she won't apologise and she won't speak to neither of them until they apologised for their rational actions.**

**Robb, trying to resolve the issue, has an unwelcome gift from his older sister. I also apologise for making Eliana seem like an absolute bitch in this chapter to Catelyn, I felt awful because she doesn't deserve it.**

**Please read and review!**

**Innocence?**

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><p>Dawn broke over the camp, awakening the troops to an early morning full of an eerie chill while they allowed their eyes to slowly adjust, only to see their King already on the move.<p>

Robb, wearing a small wry smile, marched through the rows of tents while pulling along a boy with him. He knew Eliana didn't want to speak to him or even see him for that matter, but he knew what she was like. They used to play this game all the time as children. Robb needed her to do something for him, which he knew she wouldn't be happy with and already knowing that it would take a lot of bargaining to get her to agree.

In his hand, he held a welcoming warm bowl of freshly made stew especially for her by their mother; another bribe.

The boy next to him couldn't have been eighteen? He was tall and lean, his long hair falling across his eyes, making it look as though he could barely even see properly. He was a few inches smaller than Robb, and not as stocky.

Robb had already checked her tent to find that she wasn't in there, by the state of it, it looked as though she hadn't even slept in the bed provided. That worried him. Eliana could go for days on end without sleep, but too much sleep deprivation and everything begins to go wrong.

He heard her shouting first, and then the sharp slashing sound belonging to her sword.

She was doing what he'd done less than a day ago. She was angry, and upset. Just like him. They were more similar than they both really knew, they both let their emotions get the best of them.

Robb thrusted the bowl into the boy's hands quickly. "Lia!" Robb caught her attention easily, and he saw her head turn in his direction and then the look of annoyance flashed across her face before she turned away and continued with hacking a tree. He rolled his eyes, quickly approached her. He pulled back her shoulder, and ripped the sword from her grasp which didn't make it any easier for him.

"What on seven hells do you think you're doing?!"

Robb sighed, "Lia, this is my new squire... Willum." He announced, knowing that she would ask what happen to Olyvar Rivers straight away. "I know what you're thinking - _where's Olyvar? _It seems he prefer's the company of Lord Umber and has made himself his squire and that grumbling old goat just agreed... but Willum here w_as _a Page, now he's a squire for me at the age of eighteen."

"Don't let Greatjon Umber hear you name him a goat..." Eliana's eyes then landed on the boy stood slightly behind Robb, with his hair blinding his sight. His face wasn't as nearly as developed as it should be for the age of eighteen. He wasn't that old, fifteen at most, sixteen if pushing. "Hello, Will?" She spoke, completely forgetting her anger and instead, sent her brother a rather odd look.

"M- m'lady."

"You will train him for me."

That made her anger resurface then. "What?!" She exclaimed, her face hardening immediately. "I am not your - your servant! I am your sister, I'm here to help you and protect mother not be yours to order around as you will."

Robb took a hold of her shoulder and pulled her to the side quickly. "Lia, all you need to do is make him skilled with a sword, mace, lance and spear - then it's all done. That's all I want you to do, and then you will fight alongside me when we take back what is ours. When we seek justice and honour - when we take down Joffrey and the Lannisters." Robb stated, a small smile forming on his thin lips. "Will you join me, not as a member of my war council but as my sister?"

She was tired of fighting him.

She to admit it, he was reckless but he'd spoken careful words - words he'd thought over and not just spoken like usual. He was learning, not very fast but effectively. At the end of the day, Robb was her brother and she wanted to take back what was theirs. They deserved it, they needed it and they wanted it. If they were to win this, they would win this together. "I will not bend my knee to you, brother, but I will follow you and offer you all the wisdom of my words as often as I can as some hope of guidance."

Robb's smile only grew. He'd won.

Eliana, realising what he was thinking, pushed him back and rolled her eyes. "Shut up, you fool." She laughed, when he pulled her into a tight hug and ruffled her head of hair.

"Love you too, Lia." He vowed, taking the bowl from Willum's hands and passing it over to Eliana, "Compliments of mother, she's sorry for well... you know." Robb shrugged, with an awkward look on his face now.

Willum shifted nervously when Robb left him alone with the most beautiful woman in the North. He had heard stories of her beauty and wisdom but in person, all that seemed a dream... her in person easily beat all the stories by far.

"Wiilum, before I even begin to teach you anything please go and get a decent hair cut so I know you actually have eyes." Eliana ordered him, seeing his head bob up and down before he scurried off in a rather odd rush. "No need to hurry back!" She knew that the boy wasn't who he was pretending to be, he had never been a page before he'd become a squire - there was no absolute way that was possible, the boy was hopeless. She would have to work hard with him, and she wouldn't waste her time but she would get him to learn.

It wouldn't be an easy job but he seemed teachable enough.

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><p>Turning on the spot, Eliana's eyes fell on the smith and she quickly began stalking over to where he stood working quietly. When he heard her approach however, he head shot up and he bowed it soon after. "My lady Eliana... to what do I owe you pleasure of your presence so early?" He questioned, setting down his tools and clasping his hands together tightly.<p>

"You've heard my brother has acquired himself a new squire - I fear the boy is hopeless, nevertheless, a squire needs a sword." She explained with a composed look on her face as she spoke to him. "If you have any free time, I would very much like and so would Willum, if you would care to craft him a sword of his own."

Upon hearing her request, the smith nodded frantically. "Certainly, my lady. I will have it ready for you in few days time. Do you require a particular pommel?"

Eliana shook her head, finally swallowing a spoonful of the stew. "No, just a sword will do." She replied, her eyes falling on the hopeless form of Jaime. She didn't know what it was, but she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him in some way.

She grumbled under her breath, walking towards him. Eliana thought herself to be the only person who actually attempted to make a civil conversation with Jaime despite him being the enemy. _He would die anyway._ "Have they fed you yet, Ser Jaime?!" She called, knowing how hungry he probably was by now.

At the mention of food, Jaime's head shot into the air and his eyes focused on the Wolf in front of him but they soon found the bowl of steaming stew in her hands. His growing hair swung around in the air while he shook his head. "Sadly, no but I feel a bit peckish I suppose... is there any partridge? If you're offering that is?" Jaime replied, wanting to eat something desperately. "Or..." He gazed at her form and dropped his gaze.

Eliana nodded, sipping on another spoonful of the stew to taunt him. "You're lucky I have a sense of humour, Ser, otherwise I would just let you starve..." She contemplated before surprising him. Without another word, she placed the stew into his own hands and then took a seat on the mopping-wet ground and sighed.

Unsure of whether to trust her or not, not knowing whether it was some trick, Jaime discarded the spoon and slowly began to drain the bowl of the stew. He smiled to himself when he heard Eliana's remark at his action.

"Ugh, men... you're all the same."

He lowered the bowl and frowned, "I hardly think so..." Jaime disagreed with his smile still showing. "Not all men are Lannisters." He stated, seeing her roll her eyes and shake her head when his arrogance surfaced through his use of words.

"Gods, you_ are _arrogant."

Jaime frowned, "And you're not?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow. She looked at him, and simply shook her head with a small smile playing at her lips. "What are you smiling at, Stark?"

"Nothing."

Jaime sat up, placing the bowl down on the ground. "Tell me." He pressed, wanting to know what she was smiling at... wondering if it was something he'd said or something she was thinking. She opened her mouth to speak but it closed when she saw who was storming towards them.

"Oh, the joy of the Gods..."

"Get up." Came the voice of Catelyn Tully, wearing her usual unhappy look while sporting her usual attire. Her stance was the same, hands positioned at her hips with a frown pulling at her face.

"What if I like it down here?" Eliana tested the water, not really wanting to hold a conversation with her mother at that particular moment. "What if I enjoy Ser Jaime's company?"

They both saw Catelyn's jaw tighten, "He is our _prisoner_, he pushed your _brother_ from the tower... he tried to have him _killed_." Catelyn exaggerated several words to try to get her to move but failed miserably.

"I'm not stupid, I know what Ser Jaime has done in his life. I know he's a prick and that he's done bad things... however, we're not all innocent mother. I'm not, and I hardly believe you are as well." Eliana spoke, sighing. "But you're forgetting one vital piece of information mother, Bran is not dead." She challenged, rising to her feet. "Yes, Jaime may have pushed him from that tower... but he shouldn't have been climbing in the first place." She stared at her mother, "All that matter's is that Bran is alive, not whom I talk to or sit with." And then she sat back down again.

Catelyn had fallen silent, unable to get a single word out.

"_And_ I actually prefer talking with someone who doesn't attempt to stutter out _m'lady_..." Jaime laughed at that but he was soon silenced by the glare Catelyn shot him. "It's rather nice."

"Well, I see you ate the stew I made you." Catelyn noted quietly, glad she'd done something right. "Did you like it?"

Eliana clicked her tongue and turned to Jaime, "Did you like it, Ser Jaime?" She questioned, knowing fully well she was treading deeper into dangerous waters... but once she had started, she always found it difficult to stop.

"It was beautiful Lady Stark, you outdid yourself."

Catelyn's heart sunk slowly, "Did you _even _try it, Lia?" Catelyn pressed, anxiousness getting the better of her.

"Yes, I did but it seems that Robb has resorted to starving Jaime... how's that fair exactly?"

"He's our _enemy_, Eliana." Catelyn bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, "Not our guest."

Eliana nodded and folded her arms over her chest, "And how exactly do you propose we get the girls back if he starves to death, any suggestions?" The bitterness had returned, the horrible bitterness that left a horrible stinging sensation. "No... okay then."

Jaime looked down, noticing the tension immediately but he couldn't deny the entertainment he was receiving from it.

"Why are you siding with him?" Catelyn asked out of desperation.

Eliana closed her eyes and let out a long-held breath, "I don't pick sides, I never have. I'm my own person, mother, and I don't agree with Robb's way that's all." Eliana said honestly, swallowing hard.

"You swore fealty to me." Catelyn stepped towards her, wanting to get her as far away from that retched man.

She nodded, "Indeed I did, but not so it could be used as a weapon." Her voice was rising now, getting louder and louder by the second.

"Why can't you just listen to me?" Catelyn blurted, tears forming at her eyes as she saw the concern rise in Eliana's eyes. "You're my eldest child, I love you but you won't let me, you won't listen to me. Why? _Why?_"

"It's no use crying over spilt milk, mother." Eliana paused, standing up quickly. "I'm not a child anymore, you can't shield me from everything that goes bump in the night... I can handle myself, father saw to that, remember?"

"You're still my innocent child."

Eliana winced, and bit the inside of her cheek. "Not quite as innocent as I was." She admitted with a simple shrug of her shoulders. She'd forgotten to mention that small forgotten detail to her mother although she'd told her father soon after it had occurred... she just never really knew how to.

That made Catelyn stop, her heart froze in panic. "You're - you're no longer innocent?" Her voice was barely audible but Eliana heard the words that fell from her lips in a mere whisper.

"Ugh, why must you call it that?" Eliana questioned, seeing the amused look on Jaime's face from the corner of her eye. _How could he enjoy this? Because he's a Lannister, that's how..._ "I've had sex."

"What?!"

Eliana scratched the side of her head, "And quite frankly, I don't understand what all the fuss is about?" She wondered to herself, frowning at her own question and then sighing. She looked at Catelyn and sighed again. "Mother, it was always going to happen someday... just a little sooner than you might have expected."

"Who?" Was Catelyn's next question to pester Eliana with, "Who with?"

Laughter sounded then, and Eliana began shaking her head. "I'm sorry but there's absolutely no way I'm going to tell you that." Eliana explained, knowing that that was the truth and that she had chosen to not tell her mother.

Still taken by the silence, Jaime had now found that this hadn't been as entertaining as he originally thought... _it was fantastic!_ It was a mother/daughter slaying match of verbal abuse to one another, well almost verbal abuse, but not quite. "Oh, don't spoil the fun, Lia. _Answer the question..._" He whined, pulling a face to see what reaction he would get from it.

But he didn't get one because Catelyn had gone. She'd turned her back and charged off in some direction away from the pair of them. She couldn't tolerate her daughter's rebellious and defiant behaviour, not to mention how hostile she'd become in a short space of time as well. Eliana to her, was changing fast, and not to her liking... she wanted to have the relationship a mother and daughter should have.

Catelyn had that with Sansa, but not with Arya and not with Eliana.

Eliana stared after her mother and shook her head. If she could speak to her without being interrupted, she knew that they would get somewhere that would benefit both of them and help re-build their collapsing relationship. It was just, just so hard for her to get the words out when there was a chance Catleyn wouldn't listen to her like she'd want her too.

She'd never had a strong bond with her mother, it was with her father that she had established the proper relationship; a trusting, healthy one. One that would only strengthen and grow but that was all dead now.

"She absolutely detests me."

Jaime shrugged, before concluding her sentence. "And you hate her..."

"I don't _hate _her, hate's a very strong word." Eliana defended herself, furrowing her brow. "She just makes my life a lot harder with her constant questioning." She soon sunk to the floor again and began grumbling under her breath to herself, shaking her head. "Her problem is that she worries much more than _he _ever did, and it's smothering..."

Smiling to himself, Jaime chuckled. "You do realise that you do that a lot, don't you? If you continue to talk to yourself people may question your sanity..." He teased, looking to the floor slowly.

Eliana closed her eyes, "She expects me to tell her everything - my entire life story when she's been there for most of it." She paused and mentally hit herself out of frustration and annoyance. She shouldn't have treated her mother in such a way, especially after everything that's happened to them all in such little time. It wasn't fair to Catelyn and Eliana knew that but she was hurting too.

They all were.

A beat of silence passed between them.

Jaime turned his head to her and frowned suddenly, "So..." He trailed, trying to hold back his growing smirk. "Who did you have sex with by the way?" His voice had attracted an innocent tone to it but Jaime was far from innocent.

He had no innocence in him.

She glowered at him for a couple of seconds and rose to her feet once more, "Don't make me starve you, mouse." Eliana warned him with a dark voice along with her misty eyes growing dark, too. Before she walked away though, she turned back to face him. "Maybe one day I'll tell you - that's if you don't die during this which would be an _awful _shame."

His emerald eyes stared after while she strode away from him. He still wore his smile, yes, a smile. His smirk had disappeared and transformed into a soft smile... he didn't know why, but it had something to do with her actually acknowledging his existence in all of this. She also didn't refer to him as the _Kingslayer_, which was a relief for him. He hated that name.

She didn't judge him either, he knew she didn't like him but she didn't judge him - and that made him respect her somewhat. She was different, but he just couldn't seem to place the difference... he did know one thing.

The next few days would be fun; he would get to watch her train that hopeless _squire _of her brother's and watch him fail over and over. He _couldn't _contain his anxiousness or intrigue... not because of Willum, he wanted to see if she was as good as they say she was.

He _wanted_ to see what Eliana was hiding from him.

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**


	5. How to Train Your Squire

**A/N: Chapter five! Already? I'm glad to see that you're all enjoying this, it makes me very happy! The reviews are so warm, and they make me smile. I love you all! So in this chapter, Eliana attempts to train Willum which will split into the next two or three chapters to come, I haven't fully decided yet. And Jaime begins to start asking questions, personal ones.**

**Coursework is gonna to cause issues with updates. I know that for definite... and I will apologise now for any future delays. I hope you'll understand if you don't get the next one when I say so. Hey! You see what I did with the title, haha!**

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**How to Train Your Squire**

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><p>Her fingers fell across the strings of the lute in her hands as a soft murmur escaped its lips and slowly rose into the air. She continued to play the stringed instrument until Willum coughed and caught her attention. "You won't let my brother die will you, Willum?" She asked, not bothering to lift her eyes to look at him.<p>

Willum, with his now short, spiky maroon hair, was stood awkwardly in the middle of a grassy area in the camp as he struggled to tighten his armour. "N- no, m'lady." He stuttered, trying to pay her as much as attention as possible, not that she was even looking at him with interest.

Eliana looked up then and rolled her eyes, "_My lady_." She corrected, emphasising the proper way and sighing. She placed the lute on the muddy ground before she rose to her feet. "You need to learn how to speak properly, Willum. You're a squire now, you need to address your betters properly." She moved to help him tighten his armour, sick of hearing him huffing and puffing. "_Now_, you won't let my brother die will you?"

Willum shook his head, "No, I will not my lady."

"Good, now tell me the truth." Eliana said, moving back to the wooden crate she had sat on before she'd gone to help him.

His small eyes widened in realisation that he'd been sussed out so easily, however, he managed to regain his composure and frown. "W- what truth?" But his voice let him down as his stutter appeared through his poor choice of words.

She smiled to herself and took in a deep breath of air, "How old are you, Willum?" Eliana pressed, staring up at him with accusing eyes. She wanted him to break and squeal like a pig, telling her everything. "You're not eighteen - you do not share the same age as my brother. Lying will get you nowhere with me." Her voice had hardened and it held a dark tone to it - almost threateningly.

Willum didn't speak. He didn't even move, or blink.

"Your face isn't as nearly as developed as it should be for someone of the age of eighteen." The statement was simple, true but unnerving. "I'm not stupid, you know. So, the truth?"

It looked like he was in shock.

She clicked her tongue and picked up the lute again. "Or, I can sit here all day long, _boy_." She warned him with her eyes and words. "I'll play a song while we wait - any requests?"

But then he cracked under the pressure. "Fine. Fine!" Willum started forward, with a pleading look rising in his eyes. "But you can't tell King Robb, you can't." He protested, reaching for her arm but she moved herself away from him.

"Why shouldn't I?"

Willum sighed and cradled his head in his hands. "You're right; I'm not eighteen years old... I've only just turned sixteen. I lied, because I was told to lie so I could have a better life for myself... is there any harm in that?"

"You lied to my brother." Eliana informed him with the obvious. "You haven't been a Page, and you're not a Squire. Robb will want to know of this..."

"W- what are you going to do, my lady?"

Eliana shrugged and rose to her feet. "I don't know - let's see if your training can make up for it, _boy_."

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><p>Her hunch was right; she was always right.<p>

Willum was hopeless. He couldn't fight, he could barely hold a sword. Everything was wrong.

His instinct.

The way he held the sword.

His attack.

Everything.

"Let's try this again! I'm really trying here, but it seems like you just don't want to learn the Westerosi Fighting style..."

He turned to the side, holding the sword steady in his right hand and taking in slow, deep breaths. "I can do this..." He muttered over and over, "I'm ready, my lady!" He announced with a slight nod of his head.

"We've been at this all day, and well... you're doing very well at the moment."

"Give me one more chance, I can do it... I know I can."

His words were familiar, she'd heard them before except they'd been spoken by another. Someone she was close to but she could help but think back to the memory the words had unlocked from within her.

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><p>"<em>Jon, are you sure you want to do this?<em>" Came Robb's voice, as he strode to his brother's side. He couldn't hide his smirk, seeing Jon looking skittish and regretful as he stood with his sword in hand. Behind Robb, Theon Greyjoy snickered silently, knowing that Jon would never win against Eliana Stark.

Jon licked his lips nervously, "_Not really, but she was being persistent- _"

"_And so you gave in._" Theon concluded, rolling his eyes darkly. "_You idiot._"

Robb shook his head, "_No, no. Theon, you have to admire Jon,_" He paused, staring at him briefly before carrying on. "_He'll be the first member of our family to face the wrath of Eliana Stark but he will be unlikely the last..._" The two then burst into laughter while Jon did his best to block them out.

On the other side of the courtyard, Eliana stood with Bran, Rickon and Arya. The three youngest Stark children were the watchers and cheerers for their older sister; they knew she was the better fighter out of herself and Jon.

"_Don't go easy on him._" Arya warned and she received a warm smiled from Eliana.

Bran nodded eagerly, "_Defeat him, Lia._"

"_If you can't, Shaggydog will help._" Rickon added, stroking his pup at his side.

"_You ready Jon?!_" Eliana called to her brother, and he nodded but still looked sullen and drawn. "_Oh, do cheer up! You should be proud to face such a worthy opponent._" She teased playfully while drawing her sword from its place in her scabbard.

At first it started out slow, Jon's blows were predictable but sudden. They were powerful and frequent, however with Eliana, it was much different.

Jon wasn't completely certain when she was going to strike or when she was even going to make her move. She was slowly making him panic as he had no idea when she would choose to attack him. She was unpredictable.

And he hated it. This was the exact reason he refused to go up against her.

However, they met each other's blows, their swords whirling through the air. As he sent more powerful strikes against her own sword, she easily deflected the strikes which showed her years of experience.

Although Eliana was by far the better swordsman or woman in this case, it was hard to tell the difference as Jon was also very skilled in that area. Without warning, he struck downwards, aiming for her legs. But he was shocked when she brought her sword down quickly enough to deflect the blow, and he attempted to force her back.

They both knew he would always be stronger than her; but she was far more light and quicker on her feet and moved herself out-of-the-way while he tried to force her back.

Eliana sidestepped, avoiding a blow meant for her shoulder. Jon cursed under his breath and whirled to face her, blade up and ready.

She then went to bring her blade down on her brother's shoulder, but he parried her quickly, almost struggling to do so. Jon then came at her with a complex form and luckily she'd mastered those long before he had.

She ducked and dodged the blade, although it clipped her own and it fell to the stone below before she disappeared from Jon's front view. He turned quickly, searching for his opponent, only to pause when he met her gaze.

His dark eyes trailed downwards and froze when he what she'd done. His sword, not made from Valyrian steel but still sharp, was trapped in her hands. She was pressing hard against the metal, hard enough so he could not move it.

Still stunned with shock, Jon didn't know what to do with himself. And just like that, his feet were taken from beneath him and he hit the solid stone hard.

Eliana reached down and grabbed his sword, moving towards Jon and holding it a little way away from his throat. They stared at each other, before she lowered it and offered him a hand.

Cautiously, not knowing if it was some trick or she was being nice to him, he took her hand and allowed her to haul him to his feet. Soon after, his sword was returned to him and she stepped back. "_You did well._" She announced, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Jon closed his eyes, knowing what she would say next. "_But not well enough._" They finished together and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Jon looked back to see Robb and Theon wearing large smirks, and he could only assume that they were making fun of his defeat.

"_Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy,_" Eliana called to the couple while they amused themselves. "_Let's see who's the better swordsman out of the both of you, and then we can snicker at the less fortunate._"

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><p>Eliana smiled, offering the boy a helping hand. Deep down, she knew he could do it... she knew it. <em><br>_

Willum returned the smile while she hauled him to his feet. "Thank you." He murmured, patting the dust off himself.

"You did well, Will." Eliana commented, handing him back his sparring sword and taking a swig of water from her waterskin. She offered it him as he soon took it from her hand. "We'll still need to continue with the lessons; you've got to master the mace and lance as well yet."

Willum pulled the skin away from his lips with a frown. _Why is she smiling? _"What are you smiling at, my lady?" He asked, realising she'd never smiled in front of him since their meeting.

Eliana sighed and shrugged, "You remind me of my brother is all... he was hopeless when it came to fighting as well but he learned and got better."

"You mean you trained King Robb?"

"I have four brothers, Will."

Willum nodded in understanding. "So, which one do I remind you of?" He pressed, wanting to know. He was happy that he reminded her of a member of her family, for the first time in a long time while he was happy with what he had achieved in such a short period of time.

Eliana sighed, "My bastard brother." She answered truthfully.

"You have a bastard brother?"

"Yes, and his name is Jon." Eliana replied, regretting saying what she'd said now. She knew he was judging Jon because he was a bastard, everyone did. And she hated it. "He's a man of the Night's Watch now."

"Really?" Willum questioned, surprised by the news. "He must be a man of honour then, just like your father."

She tensed at the mention of her father, it was still raw. _The pain doesn't go away, you just have to make room for it... _Ned once told her. It was the truth, it still hurt so much. "Don't bring him up... you have _no_ right." She unsheathed her sword, twirling it through the air and aiming it at his neck.

From where he sat now in a pen that he was sharing with one of his unfortunate comrades for the time being, Jaime wore a small smile, satisfied with her fighting style and skill. She was as good as they said, better even. She took down the boy easily, it didn't even look as though she was trying either. Eliana was now threatening the boy with her sword.

"You can keep staring all you want, Kingslayer..." The fallen Lannister soldier advised quietly, "She'll never spare you a second glance, especially not in that way. She's the beauty of the North." He continued to speak to Jaime with a longing look in his eyes. "Her brother's the _young wolf_ and she's _the beauty_. He'll kill you if you touch her, any of us."

Jaime shot the man a spiteful look, "I don't desire her in that way... I think she's easy to taunt and wind up. That's what I like about her... what's even your name if you have one?"

"Harold..." He answered quickly, "I'll tell you something, I'd let her do things to me." Harold mused to himself with the glint still in his eyes. "Do you know she had a paramour while she visited Dorne?"

That caught Jaime by utter surprise then. He did not take her for the type of person to sleep with a man and accept an illicit relationship with him... unless it wasn't a man. No, she liked men, she _had_ to like men. "S- she had a paramour? Who?"

"How on the seven hells am I supposed to know who? It could be any of those snakes..." Harold spat at him.

Jaime shook his head, it had to be someone of importance. "No, she seems the fussy type to me... where did she stay when she was there?" He pestered him, throwing him an annoyed glance before trying to rack his head for any ideas on who it could be.

"Who do you think I am?" Harold stared at him like he was stupid, "Some sort of story-teller? I don't give a shit."

Jaime had stopped listening to him by then, he couldn't dismiss the fact that he was hungry for sex. He would lust after any woman if it meant he could fulfill his need - but no women would match Cersei. "I haven't been with a woman in over a year... do you reckon she'd be willing if I was polite enough?" He sighed, letting his head fall back against the post that was propped up behind him.

"You'd have a better chance of bedding her direwolf."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**


	6. You fool

**A/N: Hey again, has it been a week already?! **

**I can tell by the healthy number of reviews that this story is being thoroughly enjoyed which is great to know! It makes me very happy to know that - I hope the reviews keep coming.**

**Please read and review!**

**You fool...**

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><p>The same cocky smirk crawled onto the Lannister lion's face as he watched the Stark girl approach him, holding a bowl of broth in her hands for him to eat. "You're my saviour, Lia." He chimed, gazing up at her and batting his eyelashes comically. "Oh," She forced the bowl into his hands, "How will I ever repay you, valiant knight?"<p>

Eliana rolled her eyes. "Mock all you want, Lannister." Her voice was somewhat quiet this morning which he wasn't quite used to.

Jaime noted that she looked more tired than she had done the past couple of days. "Have you been sleeping? Have you been worrying about me out here all alone in the cold?" He jested, tilting his head. "I should hope not."

"Training my brother's squire has proven to be much harder and tiring than I first thought."

Jaime nodded, "So I've seen."

She sighed, "At least you're seeing what I'm seeing..." Eliana trailed off but continued nonetheless. "He was doing well but now he seems to just be getting worse. The boy's an idiot. A complete fool."

"When a battle comes, that boy will be running the opposite way." Jaime stated, sure that the boy wouldn't last an entire three seconds in a war let alone a single battle. Willum wasn't a man, he was a boy... a boy trying to be a man.

Eliana folded her arms over her chest, "And if he does, that boy will have no head on his shoulders if I get my hands on him afterwards." She threatened darkly, her gut telling her that was exactly what Willum would do given the chance.

"He better hope he can run fast and far." Jaime lifted the bowl to his mouth and drunk deeply. "You know..." He begun while pulling the bowl away again. "I do rather enjoy watching you tolerate his hopelessness." His smirk only grew when her eyes stilled on him, an eyebrow rising high.

"Looks like I'm going to have to find you a blindfold to wear then." She suggested, with a hint of a smile. "Cover that ugly face of yours."

He pretended to look hurt by her comment, but he knew she was jesting with him now as well. He rose onto his knees and sat directly below, as though he was going to plea with her. "Oh, don't ruin the only entertainment I get out of being held prisoner here." He grumbled. "We should spar sometime."

Eliana laughed then, shaking her head. "You take me for a fool?" She tested, not believing he would actually ask such a stupid question - especially to someone who was on the opposite side, the winning side.

"No, I take you for a woman..." Jaime's eyes began to wonder before he managed to catch himself, "A bloody intriguing one at that."

"Is that a compliment?" Eliana asked.

"If you want it to be."

They stared at each other, like they had done many times before. It was silent and ongoing. They hated each other, or at least tried make that point but in ever conversation they'd shared with one another, the hatred seemed to dissolve slowly and it felt like they'd known each other all their lives.

It was strange.

Jaime then felt a sudden surge of something - he didn't know what it was but he just couldn't help himself, he couldn't stop himself and he just blurted it out. "I did it. I pushed him. Your Bran."

Eliana was silent then, knowing he was admitting to her that he had pushed Bran from the tower. She didn't know what to say, just like she didn't know what to do when she found Bran lying like that with his direwolf howling crazily. The memory was so clear in her mind and it scared her; especially at night, and her father's death too.

"And I'm so sorry..." Jaime trailed off, feeling so low because he seen bedding his sister. "And I understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore."

"I found him."

His head shot up again, his eyes falling on her as she frowned at nothing. He could tell she was deep in thought, or even remembering things that had happened in the past.

"He was just lying there on the ground i- in such a state... and I didn't know what I was meant to do. He wasn't awake, I was terrified because _I _was meant to have been watching him... me." She paused and sucked in a breath, she felt so guilty. So, _so_ guilty and it was eating her alive from the inside out. She prayed to the Gods for two weeks, for them to return him to them. "And I failed him, a child... and I don't even know if he's awoken- "

"He defied your orders." Jaime interrupted with an abrupt tone to his voice.

Eliana gritted her teeth and blinked. She could feel her patience wearing thin and her anger rising slowly. "And you pushed him from that tower because you were frightened, you were afraid." Her voice was emotionless and plain now but she continued. "A boy, a small and fragile child."

But Jaime shook his head and edged towards her on his knees, failing to do so because of the chain around his neck which thankfully held him back. "You're failing to understand." He accused with furrowed brows.

"Am I?" Eliana had grown harsh suddenly. "I know why you pushed him, I'm not stupid - I'm able to think properly and I know. _Is that why my father died?_ A man who didn't even want to be the Hand died for that? Because he confronted your sister of your illicit relationship with each other when he found out that none of those children were Robert's?"

He didn't say anything, which to Eliana only meant it was the truth.

"I hope they die in this war, because they deserve it... your sister and your bastard son deserve to die for what they've done to my family." Eliana took in another breath, "And I want you to watch... so you know _how_ it feels to lose someone you love."

He immediately regretted his choice of words. Jaime's eyes had stilled and he held his breath. He wasn't used to those words, especially coming from her when she'd been quite considerate to him despite all he'd done. He knew he deserved it.

All of it.

So as she slunk away from him, Jaime Lannister carried on watching her depart. He didn't call out to her, he didn't smirk and he didn't move. He didn't react at all really, he didn't know how to if he was honest with himself. He was always so good when it came to women; but this one had stumped him.

He was annoyed at her.

He was annoyed that she didn't call him Kingslayer, that she didn't threaten him like her mother did, that she didn't step up to his taunts... and he wanted her to, he did. He threw his head back against the wooden post at his back and closed his eyes. "... Eliana Stark... _the beauty of the north_ has turned you soft." He murmured, sighing. He cursed himself for letting her get to him so easily.

Cersei was who he loved, he'd always loved her. She was his twin, his lover, whom he belonged with... it wasn't right to be thinking of the Stark girl in her place - it wasn't right. When he'd agreed to join the Royal visit to Winterfell, he wanted to taunt and get under her skin, he didn't like her then but now, now that was changing. He didn't want to do those things to her anymore, he wanted to leave her be.

And then Jaime realised his mistake, his eyes widening with a low sneer.

"You fool."

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><p>Robb's anxiousness was growing by the minute. He was fearful for his next attack, he was blind in the eyes of the Gods - they couldn't help him here, if they had he would've saw the signs. But there were none, he had his banners though; he knew they were his true weapon although he couldn't help but wonder if the Gods would side with him or the <em>enemy<em>.

Sighing, he turned to his side and his eyes fell on Theon. Theon was stood over the only table in the room, his eyes grazing across their battle plan, taking in every feature and every position. He could see the hunger for fight flashing through his eyes; it was in his blood. Theon was iron born, he was born to fight - he was meant to fight. Behind his eyes lurked that illness, the longer for battle, to end a man's live given the chance... _vicious prick_, Robb thought to himself as he remembered how Theon had taken down the Lannister troops in Riverrun.

"See anything useful?" He called over to him.

Theon raised his head but soon shook it, "I was merely looking over our advantages on our enemy, _Your Grace_." His voice dripped with sarcasm towards the end as he wore his usual wonky smirk.

Robb returned his gestured with a content sigh. "We need to win this Theon, for my father." He hadn't realised his hands had bawled into fists at the mention of what he wanted.

"And we will." Theon pulled himself away from the table to approach Robb with his firm words. "_Not because we are stronger, because we are better. _Those were your sister's words, and they are as true I, Theon Greyjoy, the last living son of Balon Greyjoy."

Robb scoffed, "Those words were spoken in a moment of need... it was to boost morale." He muttered, moving a Stark piece to join the others. He knew he sounded like a child then, full with jealousy but he couldn't help it. He'd _always_ been jealous of his sister.

"My father will join you."

He tried his best to avoid rolling his eyes at Theon's words but he couldn't stop himself. "Your father rebelled against my own... I will not." Robb said sternly, shaking his head. "One Greyjoy is enough, I wouldn't want a whole fleet of them so they can rebel again."

Theon was about to retaliate when he heard someone enter the tent which drew both of their attentions toward the entrance.

"Robb..." Eliana stalked into his tent with a worn expression on her face. She grimaced as she saw Theon standing next to him with his usual smirk. "Your squire is lost, I'm not teaching someone with his quality. He is useless and _not _worth my time." Eliana's voice was defiant and irritable, Robb knew his sister had had enough by then.

"We march on Oxcross in a day's time, I will need him to fight with me."

Eliana nodded, and folded her arms over her chest. "Then ask someone who is willing to train that oaf, because I certainly won't."

"Lia, _please_." Robb groaned, moving towards her quickly and placing his hands on her shoulders. "He'll listen to you because you scare him." He tried to persuade her poorly with more compliments but Eliana wouldn't budge.

"I said no, Robb. You tricked me once, I will not fall for it again." And at that she marched back out and into the morning sun, leavings the boys to themselves.

Theon snickered when he saw the look on Robb's face, "Do you have balls?" He questioned, just to make sure. Theon only laughed more when Robb shot him a look of annoyance. Even Theon knew that Robb's squire wasn't really worth it, Eliana was right. The boy was foolish and stupid. "Although, you did pick a prick for your squire, Robb."

Robb nodded, "You say that now." He whispered, sinking into the chair nearest to him and holding his head in his hands. "I can only fight one war at a time, but at this rate I will be fighting the Lannisters and my own sister."

"My lord, I saw your sister departing..." A voice interrupted which caught Robb's attention when he recognised the voice. Catelyn stepped closer to her son, reaching a hand out to him as a comforting gesture. "What's wrong?" Catelyn quizzed, intrigued as to why Robb looked like he had no will left in him to speak.

"Eliana's..."

"Exhausting?" Catelyn finished with a content sigh. "She always was when she was younger, that's what sets her apart from you all. She's hard work but she's just as wonderful as the rest of you. She's good Robb, she's so good... she's kind, fierce and motivated - that's what you need, someone of her standards." Catelyn explained, her heart thriving as she described her eldest child. "And she's your sister, whom you should trust more than ever."

Catelyn had always felt something more for Eliana, no matter what her daughter thought she felt towards her. A mother's love is unconditional... that much _is_ true. She was so proud of her, of who she'd become and how she'd adapted to her new surroundings and what the world was offering her. Catelyn looked between Robb and Theon before nodding and turning to go in search for her daughter in a hope to rekindle their relationship.

Upon hearing her words, an idea aroused in Robb's mind. "Mother..." Robb muttered as Catelyn turned back to face him with a frown. He looked so small for one split moment, showing the strain this war was putting on him. The burden he was carrying. "Help me understand her."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**


	7. The Man

**A/N: Hi there! A week does seem to go fast on here, like seriously. Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter in this story. The reviews that this story is getting are great and I love reading and replying to them. **

**Please keep reading and reviewing!**

**The man who passes the sentence, should swing the sword...**

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><p>The night before he decided to go to war again, Robb had found himself confronting the lion sat in one of his pens once he'd heard how frequently his sister had been visiting the prick.<p>

The lion raised his head and snickered to himself before boasting joyfully. "_King in the North!_" Jaime sung to himself, smiling comically. "I keep expecting you to leave me in one castle or another for safekeeping, but you drag me along from camp to camp..." He trailed, frowning before pretending to seem shocked. "Have you grown fond of me, Stark? _Is that it?_" He paused. Jaime leaned forward then, "I've never seen you with a girl."

But Robb didn't rise to his taunts, he had no intention of giving him what he wanted. "If I left you with one of my bannerman, you father would know within a fortnight and my bannerman would receive a raven with a message, _r__elease my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and_ stem." Robb replied, the grip on the hilt of his sword tightening slowly as he watched the man below him.

_"_You don't_ trust _the loyalty of the men following you into battle?" Jaime questioned, a small snicker echoed in the man as it fell from his mouth.

Robb took a step back and then added with a bored tone, "Oh, I trust them with my life, just not with yours..." He trailed off as Grey Wind's low growl emerged through the darkness, falling around Jaime in a sheet of panic.

The same fear ran back to him when his eyes landed on the beast that had circled his pen but then widened only to see the beast then enter beside its master... he knew it was part of the boys plan to scare him and he couldn't deny that it was working. Jaime reduced himself to nothing when he felts the beasts teeth brush against his nose.

Robb smirked then, knowing that he got him right where he needed him. "And I suggest, you _stay_ away from my sister, Kingslayer." Robb finished, turning his back on the pen charging off into the darkness, leaving Grey Wind to deal with the Lannister.

The direwolf opened its mouth, the low growl erupting loudly and Jaime began to tremble with his own fear. But as soon as it had come it was gone again.

When Jaime opened his eyes, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw he was still in one piece and thankfully alive. He let his head hit the post at his back and he took in a deep breath before letting it free again. His shoulders fell while he tried to rub the mud off his face but failed miserably.

"Bloody Starks."

Across the camp, the wind rippled through the trees. The sky was a murky grey with even darker storm clouds forming in the heavens above. It was going to be a horrible day, but hopefully that wouldn't affect tonight's plan.

They'd been working so hard to plan it perfectly, and they weren't going to let a little bit of rain get in the way.

Eliana peered through the entrance of the royal looking tent, sucking in a deep breath before pursuing her intentions. "Mother?" She called out, frowning slightly when she couldn't find her. She'd sworn she was in there, Robb had told her so. _He couldn't lie to me about that, could he? _Eliana closed her eyes and turned to walk back out and ready herself.

"Lia?"

Eliana stopped short and turned back again, seeing her mother standing there with a surprised look sat on her face. "Mother, I came to apologise for my ghastly behaviour towards you." She explained, clasping her hands together and sighing, feeling ashamed of herself.

"Nonsense, you don't have to apologise to me." Catelyn stated, taking a seat on one of the chairs set up in the tent and then gesturing to the seat beside her own. "Come, sit."

"Yes I do..." Eliana argued, her head falling into her hands. "I shouldn't have treated you as such, not like that. It was cruel of me to be so... so disrespectful and shameful." She was almost crying by the end of her sentence.

Catelyn moved closer to her, pulling her hands away from her face so she could see her properly. "I hold no grudge against you." Catelyn murmured, gripping her hands tightly.

"It's just... you and Robb - neither of you saw what I saw." Eliana whispered, letting the tears fall freely from her eyes as the memories haunted her. "You don't have to wake up in the night because that's all you can see in your minds eye that prevents your sleep. You never saw him die, you don't have the burden of remembering his head falling from his shoulders- "

Catelyn couldn't bear it anymore and she began to beg her daughter to stop. "Eliana, stop!" She exclaimed, her voice raised and tearful. "You're rambling... no one deserves to see that and you certainly didn't. Neither did Sansa, and I can only thank you for making sure Arya didn't..." Catelyn murmured, wondering if Sansa and Arya were all right. "But none of this is your fault, you know that. Your brother will win this and together, the both of you will make your father proud by doing something no one has ever considered; making the North independent."

Catelyn was certain her words had gotten through her daughter by the way her demeanour changed in that moment. Her back straightened and she took in a deep breath, nodding. Eliana composed herself, feeling Catelyn press a kiss to her forehead before she rose to her feet and headed towards the entrance of the tent.

Catelyn sighed to herself then, "Oh, Lia..."

Eliana had stalked away from her mother's tent and directly to the pens and to where Jaime was chained up while two bannermen followed behind her. She glanced back at them and nodded.

Jaime was hoisted onto his feet by Stark bannerman – the chains were removed from his neck as he was forced to stand which sent that horrible, aching pain shooting through his joints that he wasn't used to. He cast his gaze forward to where his eyes landed on the Stark girl.

He squinted when he saw her dressed in the armour that had been custom-made for her wear only. Then it hit him – there was to be a battle. "You look ravishing, Lia." He grinned, ignoring Robb Stark's warning of leaving her alone. "Are you going somewhere nice?"

Eliana smiled a small smile before composing herself again. "You humour me, Ser Jaime." She spoke dryly, nodding to the guards. "Take him."

Jaime resisted the guards then – or at least tried to, he wasn't used to the sensation of standing again and lost his balance and fell into the curdled mud beneath his feet. "No, tell me what's going on?!" He demanded.

"Orders of Lord Stark." One of the guards drawled, dragging him along.

Jaime tried to wriggle free as he was pulled up again. "I want to speak with Lady Stark – let me speak with Eliana."

"Sorry, Kingslayer but Lord Stark's orders are to keep you away from her." The other answered.

"I want to speak with her!" He argued, thrashing about in their grasp. He tried to turn his head to face the direction she had gone in. "Lia! _Eliana!_" But from what he could see, she was already gone.

* * *

><p>They waited in the darkness, the horses still and silent, the rain pelting their heads from above as they sat on their horses and waited. The rain didn't dampen their fierce spirits though, they were ready for this.<p>

Below them prowling on the ground were the two direwolves: Grey Wind and Shadow, ready and waiting to do their _own _duty to the cause. Their masters nodded and the beasts were gone, loose in the darkness.

Soon enough the screams of cubs reached their ears, the satisfying sound.

Robb looked to his sister, who had already drawn her sword and was sat waiting for his command. Knowing the time was right, Robb kicked his horse into action as Lord Umber's loud voice sounded in the distance.

"_King in the North!_"

And then they charged.

Robb lost sight of his sister once they were off, he saw her horse running in another direction and then he spotted her on foot. For a sheer moment, panic rose within him at the sight of her running into battle with the cubs running right back at them.

Looking to his men, Robb drew his own sword and forced it high into the air, glistening in the moon light. His horse charged through the brush while his sword met the lost cubs below, cutting and slashing its way through flesh and limbs. He couldn't hear anything but the screams echoing around him and the pounding of hooves thumping through his head while the rains washed him free of the blood that was spluttering onto his face with every hack below.

On the ground, Eliana spun in a fluid movement and brought her sword down on another cub. She ripped the blade out again as the blood spurted onto the bare spot at her neck and then ran down her neck which sent an uneasy feeling through her but nonetheless she carried on. Eliana kicked the man to the floor and charged ahead with her direwolf at her side.

"_Winter is coming!_"

* * *

><p>The two Stark siblings trailed along behind Roose Bolton, coated in blood from head to toe, both sharing the Stark look of honour and duty. Robb looked to his sister, seeing her look of disdain while her eyes watched the man walking in front of them.<p>

Bolton had a plain face, beardless and ordinary, with his eerie eyes that were pale and strange which always reminded Eliana of two white moons. He was fairly tall but shorter than Robb. His skin was pasty white, most likely due to leechings in the past. Today, Bolton was wearing his usual black ringmail and a spotted pink cloak accompanied by his suit of dark grey plate armour over a quilted tunic of blood-red leather.

It was the rondels that put off Eliana all together. The rondels on his armour were the shape of human heads with mouths open in agony, but it was when he spoke that told her Roose Bolton was not to be trusted. His voice was spider soft; he was softly spoken and rarely raised his voice, which forced those listening to do so intently.

Roose smirked slightly when he saw the look he was receiving from the Stark girl but chose to not speak of it. "_Five_ Lannisters dead for every one of ours." He told them. "We've nowhere to keep _all_ these prisoners... barely enough food to feed _our_ own."

Eliana frowned at him, not trusting a single word that fell from his mouth. "We're not executing prisoners, Lord Bolton." She said sharply, a little too sharply for Bolton's liking.

Bolton swallowed but nodded, "Of course, my lady." He bowed his head slightly in her direction. "The officers will be useful... some of them may be privy to Tywin Lannister's plans." Bolton stated with his soft tone.

"I doubt it." Robb muttered quietly.

Bolton looked to Robb who now walked beside him and not behind him. "Well, we'll learn soon enough." He concluded, his hands clasped tightly at the centre of his back._ "_In my family we say, _a naked man has few secrets. A flayed man none._"

Both Starks immediately knew what his intentions were then and neither liked the sound of them. Eliana went to argue with Bolton but Robb beat her to it with calm words and not her angry ones. "Our father outlawed flaying in the North." He reminded Bolton with a warning tone.

"We're not in the North."

Eliana's teeth were pressed tightly against each other as she glowered at the man, "We're not torturing them." She hissed, annoyed at his suggestions. Bolton was a vile man, a untrustworthy and vile man who made her skin crawl.

Bolton paused and turned to face Eliana and Robb with an annoyed look of his own. "The high road's very pretty, but you'll have a hard time marching your army down it." He spoke, glowering slightly at Eliana in the heat of the moment.

Robb stepped in between the both of them and glared at Bolton. "The Lannisters hold prisoners of their own... I won't give them an excuse to abuse our sisters." His voice was stern and held no emotion to it; it was final, Robb's choice was final. His attention was drawn away from Bolton though when he heard a man's pleas to his side.

Surrounded by dead bodies, a man was attempting to free himself from the attention of the two women trying to help him. "No, no don't! _Don't!_" He called out, his voice frightened and shaky.

One of the women took a strong hold of his right leg and pulled off his boot. "Shh, shh... please." She muttered, her eyes inspecting the wound before she closed her eyes with a sigh. "The rot's set in."

At that, Robb began to wonder towards them which left both Eliana and Bolton watching in confusion.

But the man still resisted, "No, don't! No, don't!" He shouted, pushing her hands away from his leg. "Please, don't! It'll get better. It doesn't _even_ hurt..." He tried, pleading as much as he could.

"The rot will spread..." The woman begun, hearing the grass crunch beside her. "If we don't take the foot now..." She looked up and trailed off when she saw Robb approaching them.

"No, you can't!" The man then spotted Robb as well before he forced him to the ground. "Ser! Please, Ser. I can't lose..." He tried to plead with Robb.

Robb pushed him down harder, glancing at his leg. "You'll die if she doesn't." He warned, holding him down as Bolton and Eliana approached the scene.

The man cried out then, "I don't want to be a cripple, _please_."

Bolton looked to Eliana, who was staring at her brother with a frown. "Surely one of our men needs your attention more than this cub." Bolton advised, and Eliana couldn't help but agree with him.

The woman didn't even bother to look up from the wound. "Your men are not my men, my Lord." She answered undoing her instruments beside her and reaching for the saw.

Eliana smirked when Bolton shut up and didn't speak again.

Robb took a piece of loose cloth and held it towards the man's mouth. "Put this in your mouth and lie down. You don't want to watch." He told him, trying to put the cloth into his mouth but the man was still being defiant and thrashing about endlessly.

"No! You can't!"

Sighing to herself, Eliana moved forward, crouched down and pulled on his ears which caused the man to let out a shout of pain but it also gave Robb the quick chance to slip the cloth into his mouth with ease. "Bite on it. It's better than biting your own tongue, _believe me_." She told him, as the woman began to move the saw against the rotting flesh.

Muffled screaming soon filled all their ears.

* * *

><p>Eliana looked to one of the bannerman stood behind her and swallowed. "Did you find Willum, Manfred? Lothar?" She questioned quietly. She never saw the boy during the battle and she'd known he'd ran like a coward.<p>

The bannermen shook their heads in reply, "No, my lady."

Eliana's fists tightened in annoyance and anger. "Find him, search everywhere." She ordered the two of them with a dark look in her eyes. "And when you do, bring him straight to me. No one else, is that clear?"

"Yes, my lady." The two banners bowed their heads and moved off.

Eliana turned around, scouting for her brother in the crowds of men only to find him speaking with the woman from Volantis, Talisa. She watched the way he looked at her and she knew what was happening. She found herself beginning to walk towards them, hearing their conversation as she did. "You're going to kill Joffrey?" Talisa asked when she arrived.

Robb sighed, "If the Gods give me strength." He answered confidently.

Talisa looked at him, "And then what?"

"I don't know." Robb admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "We'll go back to Winterfell. I have no desire to sit on the Iron Throne." Robb explained to her, not even noticing Eliana watching the pair of them.

Talisa however, had seen her but chose to ignore her. "So who will?" She questioned in reply, still frowning at him.

"I don't know."

Talisa nodded with a confused look, "You're fighting to overthrow a king, and yet you have no plan for what comes after?" She questioned him, tilting her head in concern.

"First we have to win the war..." As he said that, Talisa climbed onto the wagon and it began to move away from Robb. "You never told me where you're from."

"Volantis."

Robb started forward, almost as if to follow her. "Volantis?" He questioned her answer with a faint smile before adding, "You're far from home." Talisa didn't reply though and Robb had to think of something else to say. "The boy was lucky you were here."

Talisa replied then. "He was unlucky that _you_ were."

When the wagon was gone, Eliana moved towards Robb and coughed, making herself known. Something had sparked then, and that couldn't happen – especially not after he'd sworn to Walder Frey that he would marry one of his daughters. "Robb, you know you can't…" She murmured from his side, knowing the faint feeling and giving his hand a small squeeze.

Robb swallowed hard and nodded curtly, "I know..."

* * *

><p>The pens were awful. Jaime was frustrated as he watched the Stark troops filter through the camp and settle – he still wanted to speak with Eliana but he was blind to see her so he resorted to shouting at every passer-by. "Where is Lady Eliana?" He would ask every time someone would pass his pen. "Has anyone seen her?"<p>

But none answered.

Jaime's attention drifted to his pen entrance as another member of his father's army was forced into the pen; that was the third in the past hour… the rest before him had died. "What happened?" He rushed out once the man had been chained up and the guard had left.

"We lost that's what happened." He spat out blood and grimaced. "Fucking wolves."

Jaime sighed, "They're calling it the battle of Oxcross – where the two Starks rode on their direwolves into battle and hacked our armies to shreds…" He explained, with frantic eyes.

"What a load of shit." The soldier spat in disgust, "The Starks won which means you get to wallow in your shit a while longer."

Jaime nodded with a strained look, "And what of the Starks? Are both of them still in the land of the living?"

The soldier frowned at Jaime and gritted his teeth. "Why do you care about them so much?" He growled with harsh eyes.

Jaime opened his mouth to reply but no words came and so he shut it again and looked down but then something else caught his attention outside the pen.

"Fred, I've found the boy!" Lothar dragged young Willum by the collar as he walked past Jaime's pen. Willum was sporting a black eye and a broken cheekbone by the look of him from what Jaime could see. "Hold up!"

"Where was the runt?" Manfred spat, standing over the boy.

"Please don't..." Willum stuttered with a shaky voice, squeezing his eyes shut as if to make the pain disappear.

Lothar sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Hiding with the cooks like a proper little coward, ain't that right boy?" He chuckled darkly, forcing him into Manfred with a harsh shove of the arm. "Lady Eliana will want to see him straight away." The two bannermen nodded and took the boy each by the arm and began to pull him away.

Jaime looked up and crawled onto his knees as quickly as he could. "Did you say Eliana?" He pressed.

Lothar glared at him and spat, "It doesn't concern you, Kingslayer."

* * *

><p>"Lia, think about this!" Robb chased after her, watching in anger as she dragged his squire along by his collar. He'd heard the shouting from inside his tent and immediately came running to see what the situation was about and found this.<p>

"I have!" She growled, forcing the boy onto his knees in the centre of the camp. "Young Willum here is a coward…" She crouched down opposite the boy and stared into his eyes before retreating backward. "The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword but you my dear brother won't do that... so it seems as though I will have to do the honours."

By now Robb was staring in shock along with Bolton, who was holding him back by the arms. "Don't. Your men need to know what happens to traitors and cowards, Your Grace." He warned him, still managing to keep him back from interfering.

"Eliana, stop this now!" Robb demanded, wanting his sister to put a stop to her games and let the boy go instead of ending his young life in such a way.

His shouting caught Jaime's attention and thankfully he could see them all in the darkness because of the flaming torches in the camp. He saw Willum on his knees crying to himself, while Eliana stood over him arguing with Robb.

She shook her head and drew her sword wordlessly and turned to face Willum. "Any last words, _boy_?" Eliana asked, placing the steel against his bare neck.

"_Please_." Willum whimpered. "You don't have to do this, I can be a better squire. I know I can." He tried to look up at her but the cold steel stopped him. It's chill was unnerving and made him feel sick.

"Poor choice of words."

"Please." Robb tried to reason with her the best he could but he knew the stubbornness that his sister bore. "Lia, don't do anything stupid!"

But she'd made her choice long before Robb had found out her plan to take matter's into her own hands.

And then her sword came down.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**


	8. Whisperers in the Wood

**A/N: Hello, my friends! The next update is here already! Aren't you lucky, aha? Thank you for all the reviews, I love positive feedback, it makes me smile SO much.**

**Please read and review!**

**Whisperers in the Wood**

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><p>Death always confused her, she didn't have a clue why though; it was fairly simple most of the time. She didn't know if it was how some reacted or how some carried it out - it was just odd to her when she thought of it and she found that if she even tried to understand it properly she would be even more confused than she was before.<p>

Eliana wasn't scared of death, she thought herself one of the very few that welcomed it with open arms. To her, death was merely a passage into another life... she didn't really know what made her take Willum's head the previous night, but here she was staring up at his estranged head as it sat firmly on its spike, his eyes staring down at her own, wide with terror.

She didn't know what she felt either, _the boy would've died anyway,_ she told herself which she thought to be true. He wasn't strong or smart - he was still a child, a naïve child who had the misfortune of meeting her. She knew she told herself that to prevent her guilt of killing him but it had to be done and due to that, Robb hadn't spoken with her that morning and she understood why yet she did not care in the slightest.

To her, Robb let things get to him too easily - he was like a woman with his emotions and actions. She knew love would be his downfall, she saw it when he met Talisa after the battle and watched their interactions with each other. Then again, love was everyone's downfall. It was the unfair choice that they would both face; Robb and Eliana would never marry freely, their future husband and wife would be chosen for them and neither would be happy.

But today, the silence had become her enemy. It was annoying her terribly.

The only time she could get away from the silence that morning was when she decided to venture into the woods just outside of the camp and listen to its whispers of old although no one was there, she knew the voices belonged to the spirits of the wood. When she heard their whispers, she felt comforted in a way... the woods reminded her of the Crypts at Winterfell or the Godswood but of course there were no Gods wood in the South and she felt more alone than ever.

Since the events of last night occurred, silence had filled the air around the camp. No one had spoken that morning and she couldn't deny how irritating it was. The bannerman were in crowds as they would gather in the centre of camp to watch the display that had been set up. Willum's head was sat on a spike in the centre of camp for all to see thanks to Eliana – though he wasn't alone, among the heads were the heads of Lannister soldiers and other traitors.

Eliana had stared at them all morning.

Bolton slowly moved through the mud to where she was stood quietly. He knew he shouldn't even be approaching her considering her mood swings and anger but he was intrigued to hear her speak. He paused when she spoke, surprised she knew someone was behind her. "Do you reckon Cersei and Joffrey's heads will look as pretty, Lord Bolton?"

Bolton's jaw tightened when he stepped to her side. "Absolutely, Your Grace." He agreed with a curt nod, sounding strained.

"My brother is _Your Grace_, Lord Bolton." Eliana commented, her eyes not falling from the heads for a second, not bothering to acknowledge him properly. "I am not my brother."

"Clearly, _my lady_." Bolton stated, clasping his hands tightly behind his back as he saw Eliana finally glance at him with a sharp glare. "Is something the matter, _my lady_?"

She tried to ignore how he'd chosen to emphasize the word now, probably to elicit an emotional response from her. "Did you want something?" She pressed, her brows furrowing in question as she turned to face him. The moon eyes stared right back at her and it made her feel uneasy, unsettling something inside her.

"I just came to express my disappointment on the departure of Willum." He shrugged, looking up to the boy's head.

"And you're telling me you wouldn't have done the same?" Eliana stared at Roose with a look of sheer hatred, and gritted her teeth when he didn't reply. "You've done your damage, now in the most politest way I can manage for someone like yourself... _piss off_."

"Have I offended you?" Bolton questioned, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. "I admit, I had hoped you'd marry my bastard, Ramsay, but it seems you've got a poisonous tongue for vipers."

Eliana's gaze froze over but she frowned when he stopped talking. "No, carry on…" She waved her hand, gesturing for him to continue. "Give me a reason to cut out your tongue." She'd stepped into his personal space, staring him down and looking ready for a fight as her hand sat on the hilt of her sword.

Bolton thought about his options; either he could retaliate or he could retreat. Not wanting to give her what she wanted or satisfy her for that matter, he was almost tempted to continue speaking but, nonetheless, stepped back.

"What a shame." Eliana admitted, "I didn't take you for a coward." She suddenly stalked away from Bolton, not wishing to bear his presence any longer than necessary... and she wouldn't put her faith or trust in the hands of a flayer.

Catelyn had spotted Eliana and Bolton talking and she knew the conversation had been sour by the way her daughter looked at the man in front of her as they spoke. Catelyn also knew that her daughter wasn't very fond of Bolton, neither was she if she was particularly honest. _Neither did Ned, but he's an ally we need_... she told herself and she strode towards her daughter.

"Eliana."

Her head shot out to the side and her eyes landed on Catelyn as she made her way towards her, "You mustn't regard you allies as such, especially one as Roose Bolton." She advised with concern flooding into her eyes.

"If you call Bolton an ally, mother…" She mumbled under her breath. "I swear to the Gods..."

"I hope you're not cursing under your breath." Catelyn warned, her restless eyes observing her daughter silently. She was hardening on the inside, and she was worried that soon there would be nothing left of the little bundle of joy that entered the world. "Your brother informed me of- "

"Willum's departure?" Eliana beat her to it with a sigh, her arms folding across her chest. "The bloody coward will be sorely missed."

Catelyn's brow fell in disappointment, she hated it when Eliana chose to act like this; it was hostile and hateful. "Don't make jests about the dead, Lia – it's no laughing matter."

Eliana closed her eyes and bit her lip. She looked at her mother before returning to walking. "He was a coward, mother – I explained it to him on multiple occasions of what would happen if he ran and yet he still did not listen."

Catelyn nodded, following her daughter along quickly, "Well, you have more courage than the rest of us, Lia. I don't think I could muster the courage without being frightened to carry out such an act."

Eliana didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or as an insult. It wasn't down to courage to make her do what she did to Willum, it was right by their laws. "Courage isn't just a matter of not being frightened, it's being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway." Eliana explained, realising that her mother wasn't familiar with killing anyone.

And she didn't expect her to be.

"I'm worried, Eliana." She expressed her concern which drew in her daughter's attention. "I don't want to lose you to the cause." Catelyn murmured, "And I don't mean you being killed, I mean losing you as a person... your humanity is sacred and you can't lose it."

Eliana smiled, "You're worried about my humanity?" She laughed softly, as she headed further in front of her. "I swear to you mother as long as your presence is around, I will not discard my humanity. I promise." She called, heading towards the stockades.

"Lia don't go and see him!" She heard her mother shout but she wasn't going to listen to her when it came to that. Jaime Lannister seemed to be one of the few sane ones in the entire camp.

* * *

><p>Footsteps drew his eyes upwards when he heard them approaching his pen. He was alone again, all that had joined him in his pen had died and to be fair, he wasn't surprised either.<p>

Jaime sighed deeply, "Not more of that fucking poison broth I've been forced to live off..." He trailed off when he saw Eliana with a waterskin in her hand, losing his words as he watched her.

"Lovely." She commented, unlocking the pen and stepping inside with a smile on her face. "I'll let the cooks know of your opinion." She threw him the skin which he easily caught despite his hands been chained together.

"I apologise, I thought you were one of the guards." Jaime muttered, sipping the water from the skin. He didn't know what to say after that, he just didn't - not after what he witnessed last night. He admitted to himself that he was slightly scared of what she was capable of, being fully aware now but something told him that she wouldn't do anything to him, she had no intention of hurting him.

"Thank you for that." Eliana replied, sighing. "I know you saw what I did to Willum but silent treatment is just plain childish, Jaime."

Jaime frowned at her, "Me _childish_?" He scoffed and looked away from her, not wanting to give her satisfaction.

"What was I meant to do with a coward?" Eliana questioned with desperation in her eyes, wanting to know what he would've done in her position. "Tell me what you would've done..."

Jaime looked at her to see her looking lost and probably feeling that she'd done the wrong thing. "I don't know." He admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, "I just can't believe you beheaded him."

Eliana nodded and sat down on the mud, not caring if she got dirty. "That surprised, _eh?_ It seems the men have weak hearts when compared to women in this part of the realm." She pressed, sighing as her eyes stared at him. She'd noticed his long beard and tangled hair, the tired look sat under his eyes while he stared back at her. "I'm not quite as innocent as you may have assumed I was."

Jaime smiled at that and looked down. He could feel his body temperature rising higher and higher as he tried to stop it from showing. Thankfully, he saw that she failed to see his blush rising up his neck. "_Clearly_, Lia... you've never been innocent." His voice had a cheeky tone to it, but then it changed as he questioned her suddenly. "Why didn't you come and see me after?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, she'd known this would be brought up. She's heard of him wanting to see her but she'd had more pressing matters to tend to than seeing Jaime. "I heard about your persistent questioning, the banners informed me that you were appearing to be worried for my survival." She told him, tilting her head in question and silently waited for him to admit to it.

"I..." Jaime trailed off, trying to think of something to say. "I was merely expressing my concern for your welfare as my captor."

Eliana shook her head, "You're full of shit, aren't you?" She laughed to herself, crossing her arms.

Jaime joined in with her laughter, and they both laughed together.

It felt good.

* * *

><p>Eliana was stood in the tent, watching quietly as Robb spoke with Alton Lannister, discussing the peace agreement. "I offer your cousins peace if they meet my terms." Robb was saying while he sat quite comfortably in his chair and furs as Alton stood shivering.<p>

Robb glanced to his side, seeing Eliana eyeing the only Lannister in the tent with sharp eyes. "First, your family must release my sisters... second, my father's bones must be returned to us so he may rest beside his brother and sister in the crypts beneath Winterfell." He paused briefly, taking in a sigh before continuing. "And the remains of all those who died in his service must also be returned. Their families can honor them with proper funerals."

Alton nodded and said, "An honorable request, Your Grace." He agreed and Eliana couldn't help but feel as though he wanted his life to end by the way he answered, sounding so mocking.

Robb, however, chose to ignore the same thoughts and continued with his terms. "Third_... _Joffrey and the Queen Regent must renounce all claim to dominion of the North." Robb anounced, seeing his sister's eyes shift to his. "From this time till the end of time, we are a free and independent kingdom." He concluded.

"_The King in the North_." Rodrik Cassel announced, a proud smile forming on his lips as he stared at the man at the head of the war council table, no longer a boy.

The rest of the banners sat around the table joined him in toasting to their king. "King in the North." They cheered together, Theon Greyjoy's voice toppling over the others as he repeated the common phrase that often fell from their lips nowadays.

"Neither Joffrey nor any of his men shall set foot in our lands again." Robb carried on with his terms, determined to drum them into his head so he would not forget. "If he disregards this command, he shall suffer the same fate as my father, only I don't need a servant to do my beheading for me."

Alton could feel the sweat gathering in the palms of his hands as he wiped them along his torn tunic. "These are... Your Grace, these are- "

Robb stood and lent against the table with a soft glare. "These are my terms." He declared with a sharp tone that ordered authority. "If the Queen Regent and her son meet them, I'll give them peace..._ if not_... I will litter the south with Lannister dead."

"King Joffrey is a Baratheon, Your Grace." Alton contradicted Robb with a frown pulling at his brows. He didn't understand what he was trying to say, _is he saying that Joffrey has no claim to the Iron Throne?_

Eliana couldn't help herself then and she let her annoyance get the better of her, "_Oh, is he?_" She asked to no one in particular, waiting for any of them to disagree with her, wanting Alton to contradict her as well but he wasn't given the chance as Robb interrupted him by sending him off.

"You'll ride at daybreak, Ser Alton." He commanded as he was led out by guards. "That will be all for tonight." And at that everyone seated around the table rose and quickly exited the tent apart from Theon and Eliana.

Gliding though the tent, Eliana found a spare goblet and took the barrel that was discarded to the side, seeing the appetising red liquid stir when she lifted it and quickly filled the goblet before she emptied it again. She picked up another goblet and filled it along with her own and then made her way to Robb, offering it to him.

Robb smiled and took the goblet from her silently. He didn't speak, he didn't need to although he couldn't help but let his mind wonder if he did. He knew he would have to amend things with her _yet_ again but as he opened his mouth another's sounded. "A word, Your Grace?" He turned his head, the auburn curls bouncing in the candle light and saw Theon walking to him.

Robb smiled to himself and sighed, "You don't have to call me_ Your Grace_ when no one's around... apart from Lia, she doesn't seem to care that much for the name." He replied, knowing it was true - Eliana only used it if she were angry with him so it sounded patronising and mocking.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it." Theon shrugged.

Robb took another sip of the wine, "I'm glad someone's gotten used to it." Robb admitted, feeling a little odd being regarded as a _king_.

Theon looked down and bit the inside of his cheek in hesitation. "The Lannisters are going to reject your terms, you know?" He stated, knowing it was what Cersei would do as soon as Alton returned to them with his terms.

"Of course they are."

"We can fight them in the fields as long as you like, but we won't beat them until you take King's Landing..." Theon paused, his gaze shifting to Eliana who was now sat at the table, her attention draw to the map laid out but he knew she was listening to their conversation freely. "And we can't take King's Landing without ships. My father has ships and men who know how to sail them."

Robb heard Eliana scoff before he sighed in agreement with her response to the suggestion. "Men who fought my father." He re-phrased easily with a calm voice.

But Theon was being persistent for some unknown reason. "Men who fought King Robert to free themselves from the yoke of the South, just like you're doing now." He argued with a sudden dark look in his eyes as he watched Robb. "I'm his only living son, he'll listen to me... _I know he will_. I'm not a Stark. I know that." Theon paused and shook his head. "But your father raised me to be an honorable man."

"We can avenge him together."

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><p>Catelyn had joined her two children in the King's tent and had agreed with Eliana as soon as Robb had informed her of Theon's proposal to offer them aid. "You don't want Balon Greyjoy for an ally." Were her first words in reply to the less than joyous news.<p>

Eliana nodded, "I agree, brother." She repeated for the hundredth time to make sure Robb would listen to her before rushing into things.

"I need his ships." Robb argued, his hand rubbing the stubble that was slowly turning into a beard at his lips. "They say he has two hundred." He wondered aloud, sounding as though he were in a dream.

"They say a million rats live in the sewers of King's Landing." Catelyn marched off to fill her own goblet will water, "Shall we rally them to fight for us?" She questioned with a harsh tone before dropping the ladle into the barrel which sat on the floor.

"I understand you don't trust Lord Greyjoy- "

Catelyn cut him off, angered. "I don't trust Lord Greyjoy because he is not trustworthy. Your father had to go to war to end his rebellion." She shouted, not believing her eldest son was considering such an option in order to get what he wants.

"Yes." Robb spoke with a strain to his voice, being cautious over his choice of words. "And now I'm the one rebelling against the throne. Before me, it was father. You married one rebel and mothered another."

"I mothered two by the looks of it." Her eyes softened as she looked at her two children, who shared the same physical appearance save their hair and then their diverse personalities and traits. "I mothered more than just rebels, a fact you seem to have forgotten." She rose to her feet again, still angered by his latest plan.

"If I trade the Kingslayer for two girls, my bannermen will string me up by my feet." His statement made Eliana shoot him a glare from where she sat, he shouldn't care what the bannermen would do to him - they were his sisters. Family matters more than anything in the world and all he seems to care about is being dishonoured by seeming weak.

Catelyn was still infuriated, "You want to leave Sansa in the Queen's hands? _And Arya... _I haven't heard a word about Arya." Her voice was pained as she yearned for her two other girls. "What are we fighting for if not for them?"

Robb lost it then, "It's more complicated than that!" He shouted at her, making her jump and take a step back. "_You know it is.._." The last part came out in a whisper.

"It's time for me to go home." Catelyn sighed, wrapping her arms around herself as if an attempt of comfort. "I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months."

"You can't go to Winterfell."

"I beg your pardon?" Catelyn questioned as Eliana rose to her feet, glaring at Robb although she understood where he was going as they'd discussed this before their mother had entered the tent. She just didn't agree with the sharpness to his tone.

"I'll send Rodrik to watch over the boys because tomorrow you'll ride south to the Stormlands." Robb stated, leaving her look lost and confused.

Catelyn raised an eyebrow and she looked to Eliana for help. "Why in the name of all the Gods..."

Eliana sighed and decided to take over from her brother. "Because we need you to negotiate with Renly Baratheon... he's rallied an army of a hundred thousand men and thankfully, you know him. You know his family." Eliana explained with certainty their mother would succeed in helping their cause.

"I haven't seen Renly Baratheon since he was a boy." Catelyn said, feeling slightly forced into the plan rather than agreeing to it with her own mind. "_You have a hundred_ _other lords... _Eliana would gladly accept the duty, wouldn't you Lia?" Catelyn tried, offering her a smile with a nod of her head as if to edge her on.

"Which of these lords do I trust more than you?" Robb stood and moved towards her, his hands stretched out. "Besides, Lia and I have discussed this, I need her by my side while I ride into battle... if Renly sides with us, we'll outnumber them two to one." Robb couldn't hide his determination and ambition when he spoke of Renly Baratheon and how many his army consisted of. He wanted them, he _needed_ them with him. "When they feel the jaws beginning to shut, they'll sue for peace."

"We'll get the girls back." Eliana added, staring at her mother with a pained expression. She hadn't told her mother of where Arya was because she didn't want to worry her further, that she was on route to the wall with Yoren and would be safe from the Queen but Sansa didn't have that luxury. "Then we'll all go home... for good."

Catelyn eventually nodded, "I will ride at first light." She sighed in defeat.

"We will all be together again soon, I promise." Robb vowed, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly, wanting nothing more to reunite his family and live a long and happy life.

"You've done so well." Catelyn told the pair of them, taking hold of their hands and smiling softly. "Your father would be... proud of both of you." She assured the two of them with her own pride. They were doing the right thing in turn to make the North a better place, not really thinking about what would happen to themselves in process of doing so but despite all that, Catelyn couldn't express her pride any more than she had done so already.

Robb smiled at her words and took them in before replying. "Give Lord Renly my regards." He took a sip from his goblet and sat back down, not realising the mistake he'd made like his sister had.

Eliana chuckled and shook her head, "And you're _meant _to be a King yourself, honestly." She laughed to herself which got her a confused look from him at her laughing. "You're an idiot..."

Hearing her second insult, Robb looked to his mother for help but he saw her smiling in her direction which didn't help his confusion in any way.

"_King_ Renly." Catelyn corrected, with a small smile on her face as she caught her daughter's eye. "There's a king in every corner now..."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**


	9. Unconquered and Unbeaten

**A/N: Hello once again, friends. Thanks for all the fantastic reviews this story is getting!**

**In this chapter, Catelyn reaches Renly's camp as an envoy for Robb. While she's away though, Robb informs Eliana that she will be marrying Loras Tyrell as an opportunity to form an alliance between the two families; Stark and Tyrell in order to help them win their cause of justice. Jaime finds out and announces his own concerns for the marriage match.**

**Please read and review.**

** Unconquered and Unbeaten**

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><p>Loras Tyrell, Ser Loras was exceptionally handsome with long, flowing brown hair and golden eyes from what Catelyn could see as she stood and watched him fight the beast that was stalking towards him. She wasn't familiar with the boy but despite his youth and slender frame, Loras was a capable warrior, very courteous however, she knew he was thirsty for glory and could be short-tempered and impetuous.<p>

But she couldn't help chuckle to herself as she watched the knight sink into the bath of mud below whilst the other kept pounding him with hits until he finally let out yelps like a pup when he saw the dagger coming towards his exposed neck. "_Yield!_ I yield!" He protested.

The knight hesitated briefly before eventually pulling back and allowed Loras, shaken and humiliated, to scramble to his freedom.

"Well fought." The booming voice of Renly Baratheon echoed through the crowds and the resemblance between his voice and Robert's was uncanny for a split second to Catelyn until she clapped eyes on him and saw he was no longer the boy she once met.

Renly was handsome with his jet-black hair flowing to his shoulders, neatly combed which still made him look eerily similar to a once young Robert Baratheon, though he stood several inches shorter, and was far less muscular. His eyes reflected the suit of enamelled green armour laid across his body with a golden head-piece, fit for a king, sporting a pair of golden antlers.

He was indeed no longer the boy she'd briefly encountered.

"Approach." He gestured to the knight, who stalked forward and sunk into a deep bow before him and remained there until he next spoke. "Rise... remove your helm."

The knight fell hesitant again, as though they were cautious to reveal themselves to the crowds stood surrounding them, however, the hands reached for the helm and slowly removed it. The man - no, the _woman_ that Loras had attempted to fight was distinctly unfeminine in appearance. Catelyn noted her tallness and how muscular she was and she couldn't help but think of Eliana by how she'd fought, the resemblance was uncanny. But this woman was flat-chested and ungainly, with straw-colored hair and broad, coarse features that were covered in freckles.

Around her, the crowd began murmuring in disgust and surprise but Renly gripped the arms of his chair in excitement and anxiousness while a gleeful look rose into his eyes along with a wide smile. "You are all your father promised and more, My Lady... I've seen Ser Loras bested once or twice, but never quite in that fashion." He mused as Loras turned away infuriated by his words.

"Now, now, my love." The woman sat beside Renly finally spoke which drew Catelyn's attention to her. "My brother fought valiantly for you." She noted with a small frown as he glanced at her.

Renly sighed, "That he did, my Queen." He agreed with a nod, "But there can only be one champion. Brienne of Tarth, _you may ask anything_ _of me you desire. _If it is within my power, it is yours." Renly declared, the smile evolving into a tight grin as he stared at the woman before him.

Brienne sunk onto her knees again and began to speak. "Your Grace, I ask the honor of a place in your Kingsguard." Her wish was simple yet caused an immediate uproar around her.

Loras scoffed, outraged as the entire audience mimicked his shock at her oddly request. "What?"

But Brienne ignored them and continued to pursue what she wanted from Renly. "I will be one of your seven, pledge my life to yours, and keep you safe from all harm." She vowed, determined to follow the oath through if given the chance.

Renly narrowed his eyes at her before licking his lips and sighing. "Done." He agreed with a tight smile this time, ignoring the looks he was receiving from his banners. "Rise, Brienne of the Kingsguard." He then began to clap and his bright smile and gleeful eyes returned.

As she rose again, the guard that had escorted Catelyn to the tournament led her to the centre to where she stood before Renly as Brienne had and strangely felt as though she was on trial. "Your Grace, I have the honor to bring you Lady Catelyn Stark, sent as an envoy by her son Robb, Lord of Winterfell." He introduced as all eyes fell on her in intrigue and suspicion.

"Lord of Winterfell and King in the North." Catelyn announced.

Renly smiled at her, "Lady Catelyn, I'm pleased to see you." He greeted warmly, gesturing a hand to his side. "May I present my wife Margaery of House Tyrell?" Renly introduced as Catelyn bowed her head in respect.

"You are very welcome here, Lady Stark. I'm so sorry for your loss." Margaery said with sincerity. Her thick, softly curly brown hair hung just below her shoulders while her large brown eyes shone brightly against her unblemished skin. There were considerable similarities between her and her brother Loras from what Catelyn could see.

Catelyn forced a smile as the pain and grief of her husband's death submerged once more. "You are most kind." She bit out.

Catelyn had sworn Renly must have spotted the pain resurface in her eyes and so he drew her attention back to him to spare her of the pain. "My Lady, I swear to you I will see the Lannisters answer for your husband's murder." Renly began with a motivated, authoritative tone as his grip tightened on his chair. "When I take King's Landing, I'll bring you Joffrey's head."

The men erupted into cheers at his words.

"It will be enough to know that justice was done, My Lord." Catelyn answered with a curt nod of approval.

Brienne stepped toward her slightly, "_Your_ Grace." She corrected her which shocked Catelyn slightly._ "_And you should kneel when you approach the King." Brienne added with a sharp tone as Catelyn turned her head to look at her.

Renly saw the tension and knew Catelyn may retaliate. "There's no need for that, Lady Stark is an honoured guest." He reminded Brienne, softly.

"Has your son marched against Tywin Lannister yet?" Came the voice of Loras from behind her as she tried her best not to roll her eyes at his childish tendencies and whining.

"I do not sit on my son's war councils." Catelyn informed the boy without turning to look at him. "And if I did, I would not share his strategies with you." She concluded, glaring at nothing.

Loras, however, did not stop there and decided to perceive further. "If Robb Stark wants a pact with us, he should come himself, not hide behind his mother's skirts." He commented sourly.

"My son is fighting a war, not playing at one."

Loras fell silent as her words reached him while some of the men chuckled in reply which only deepened his humiliation.

Renly rose slowly and clasped his hands together before rushing down the steps towards Catelyn, "Don't worry, My Lady." He gestured for her to follow him when he reached her, "Our war is just beginning."

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><p>Renly led Catelyn along as the camp around them thrived with life. Behind them, Brienne trailed with the rest of the Kingsguard following. They passed a banner leading along a horse with a painful limp but he tried to hide it as Renly looked to him. "Your Grace." He bowed his head to Renly out of respect.<p>

Renly returned his nod with a small smile. "Gerard. How's your foot?" He questioned, a concerned look pulling at his face.

Gerard nodded and shook his head like it was nothing. "Better, Your Grace." He stated, with a chuckle. "They don't know their own size is all."

"Good man." Renly clapped a hand on his shoulder and continued along with Catelyn. "I have 100,000 men at my command. All the might of the Stormlands and the Reach." Renly boasted loudly with a smug smile playing on his lips.

Catelyn sighed, "And all of them young and bold like your Knight of Flowers?" She pressed as Renly smiled to himself, still looking rather smug. "It's a game to you, isn't it?" She scoffed with a shake of her head, "I pity them."

Renly looked at her then. "Why?"

"Because it won't last." Catelyn told him with certainty, knowing what would happen. "_Because they are the Knights of summer and winter is coming..._" She continued, seeing a cold look fall across Renly's face as she told him what he didn't want to hear.

Renly's entire stance went rigid and he looked as though he'd been turned to stone right before her eyes. "Brienne, escort Lady Catelyn to her tent." He looked to the tall woman standing behind Catelyn, "She's tired from her journey." He concluded harshly.

Brienne bowed her head in respect, "_At__ once, Your Grace. _Shall I return after?" She questioned, tilting her head in his direction, wanting to know if he would still need her to serve him.

"_That won't be_ necessary." Renly replied with a small smile once again,_ "_I would pray awhile. Alone." He finished before striding off in a direction as the rest of the Kingsguard trailed behind him silently.

Brienne turned to Catelyn and gestured for her to follow behind her, "If you'll follow me, My Lady."

Catelyn bowed her head and began to walk again, "You fought bravely today, Lady Brienne." Catelyn's voice called out to Brienne.

Brienne rolled her eyes, "I fought for my King... soon I'll fight for him on the battlefield. Die for him if I must." She paused and turned to look back at the elder woman with her icy gaze. "And, if it please you, Brienne's enough. _I'm no lady_." Brienne contradicted before striding away.

As she watched her go, Catelyn smiled warmly to herself as the tall woman reminded her so much of Eliana. "_I'm no lady_..." She re-called with a soft voice, the exact words had been spoken by her daughter when she was a mere child, she remembered her insisting that there was no need to be a proper lady. Catelyn's smile only grew at her memories.

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><p>Loras Tyrell, Knight of the Flowers, had been stabbing his sword in Renly Baratheon for years and there was <em>no way<em> Eliana would agree to being stabbed by him in order of alliance between two families. He had a perversion that didn't bode well in society and she would not be the wife of someone baring that perversion despite how _handsome _he may jolly well be.

What she couldn't believe was that Robb was determined to marry her off to him in order to gain more banners for his cause... she knew it was to be her duty but _Loras Tyrell? _She could think of a vast number of others she would rather wed than that daisy with a lance.

"Bloody knight of the _flowers_..." She grumbled to herself as she crossed the camp angrily. "_Oh, he's very handsome oh, I think I might faint..._" She spat in disgust, feeling nothing but loathing towards the decision - she wouldn't do it, they couldn't make her if she persisted.

She wouldn't do it.

She wouldn't.

She knew when her mother returned she would only get an earful of what they would get in return from the Tyrells, not taking her opinion into consideration at all. She also knew what would happen and she would do everything in her power to stop it from happening.

Eliana charged across the water-logged grass, mud splashing against her boots angrily as she flew from her brother's tent. She could hear him rushing after her through the mud but she didn't dare turn back to face him.

"Eliana wait!" He called out, not really believing they were arguing yet again over something so small. "He's just a man, it's only something small."

She stopped then and turned to face him, her face burning red which looked odd considering her pale complexion. "Loras Tyrell, _Knight of the Flowers_, is not going to be my match!" She exclaimed in anger, "You fail to understand how big of an issue this is for me, he likes men and in case it's escaped your notice... I'm a woman! A woman!"

Robb stared at her as though she was some foreign person, "All you have to do is marry him?" He spoke with a confused look, not understanding why it was such a big deal because Loras was a knight, rich and he was handsome. _What more can women want?_

"And do you not think Mace Tyrell and Olenna Redwyne will want children from me?!" Eliana fired another sheath of arrows at his head with even more anger, "I will not bear the children of a knight who prefers the company of men in his bed..." She muttered to herself, stalking off and leaving Robb standing alone.

Robb shook his head and closed his eyes, not even bothering to follow her. "What am I going to do?" He questioned, feeling more hopeless than ever. _Eliana will do everything in her power to avoid marrying Loras..._

By midday, Eliana was convinced the entire camp knew of Robb's plan to marry her to the Tyrell boy as they all stayed shot of her which amused her and slightly improved her mood.

"Little wolf!" She could hear Jaime Lannister shouting in the stockades from across the camp, and to be honest, she couldn't be bothered to see him today. "Eliana Stark, pay me a visit at once!"

She paused in her walking and looked over to the stockades, thinking about going to see Jaime but her anger was flourishing at that moment and so, she continued on her way and try to take her mind off Loras Tyrell.

She hated the whole idea of marriage and that's precisely why she kept far away from the idea in order to stay with her family... it was where she belonged. She told her father of this when he approached her on the subject; he'd suggested Ramsay Snow, Renly Baratheon, Garlan Tyrell, Oberyn Martell and Jaime Lannister and to all five, she said no.

But when she visited Dorne, she regretted her choice in saying no to Oberyn Martell, finding how charming and intriguing he was with his wit and quick tongue, he was an exceptional fighter and trained her. Oberyn was, in her own opinion, the perfect match but now she was faced with marrying a man of the complete opposite.

She sighed, sitting down on a crate as she remembered discussing marriage with her father.

_"Marriage?" Were her first words which made Ned's blood freeze at her tone of voice. He hadn't quite told her that he was in pursue of matches for her and now he regretted it. "You honestly thought I would marry someone you would pick for me?"_

_Ned sighed, taking in a deep breath. "No, that's why I decided against it." He explained quickly as she narrowed her eyes at him. Feeling uncomfortable by the way she was looking at him, Ned broke. "All right, I admit… I haven't complete dismissed the idea... there are five that I think are suitable for you."_

_Eliana let out a growl, with a defiant shake of her head. "I won't do it, whoever you choose will not be someone I will agree to. You know how I feel about this, you and mother both do." She told him, feeling betrayed by her parents. "I would rather fall in love with someone, grow to love them for who they are than be forced to love a stranger as soon as I lay eyes – well, until when you decide to ship me off."_

_"Garlan Tyrell isn't that bad?" He frowned, scratching his head. He saw her unimpressed look. "Renly? Robert would be honoured to have you as a sister."_

_"No."_

_Ned nodded and closed his eyes, "What if I suggested Oberyn Martell, Doran's younger brother - he's quite the fighter, you know?" He suggested with a small smile, knowing how much his daughter favoured battle. "You're going to Dorne in a few months - he will want to meet you."_

_Eliana looked at him as though he was crazy, "That sex-crazed deviant?" Her voice was high-pitched with shock._

_Ned raised his hands and nodded more times than he needed to, "Well, what about Ser Jaime? I've talked to Robert of this and he agrees that the match it more suitable than the others despite his position in the Kingsguard... he's rich, handsome- "_

_"No." Eliana interrupted defiantly, "And the last?"_

_"Ramsay Snow."_

_"The Bastard of the Dreadfort, ahave you lost your mind?" Eliana's eyes widened as soon as she heard the name fall from her father's lips. "No, none of them. I will not marry any of them."_

_"Lia, don't say it like that." Ned complained, taking a firm grasp of her arms, "You make it sound like we're horrible to you and you know we both love you with all our hearts. We don't want you to be trapped here forever; we want you to have a life."_

_Ellaria rolled her eyes, "And I will in my own time." She promised._

Now, she admitted that she missed the talks with him, the disagreements and their jokes. She missed all of it, she wished she could have had more time with him before the Gods played their part.

And ruined her life.

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><p>She threw her head back in laughter as she listened to Jaime rant on about his relationship with Tyrion. "... Someone had to love him, despite his oddity, my father and sister refused to so I stepped up to the task."<p>

"Tyrion intrigues me so, he's smart and calculated. His mind is his weapon as are his words." Eliana mused, sipping on the mead in the waterskin. "I understand more of what he says than my Septa ever taught me as a girl."

Jaime laughed at that.

"_You don't do it right, it's not right. _That's all I was ever told, so one day, I picked up a sword..." She sighed, content. "My father saw me, and I told him I would rather wield a blade than a needle in all hopes of being pretty and proper and before I knew it, Ser Rodrik was training me along with my father. There's no wrong way to fight."

"I want to spar with you." Jaime reminded her for the hundredth time, taking the waterskin from her. "It would be fun for the both of us."

Eliana rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to unlock those chains of yours." She told him with a small smile, before she began laughing to herself which sparked Jaime's interest even more.

"What _now_?" He questioned.

"Do you remember when I almost ran you down with my horse?" She studied the lion opposite her, watching as he glared at her.

He nodded, "I think I'd be mad not too, you nearly killed me." Jaime accused with deadly eyes, "You came out of nowhere."

"Not quite..." Eliana stated with a shrug of her shoulders, "You were in the way, so, I merely made you move." Eliana laughed again, remembering how he'd jumped out of the way, _a knight!_

Jaime licked his lips, "How was your trip to Dorne?" He pressed with his eyebrows raised in question.

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself." She answered, knowing that he wanted to know who her Paramour was while she was there, but she wasn't so stupid to reveal it to someone as him. "I met this wonderful man."

"Who was he?"

Eliana shrugged, "You wouldn't know him." She added.

Jaime closed his eyes in defeat and let his head rest against the wooden post sat behind him, "I heard quite a lot of talk about marriage today, _have you_?" He asked unexpectedly which caught her off guard.

"_Oh_, go on and say it." Eliana spat in disgust, her anger flourishing once more at the topic.

He frowned in confusion, "Say what?" Jaime was lost, he heard the talk of marriage but had no idea who it concerned but by her reaction, he knew it must have been circling Eliana in some way.

"My lovely brother, Robb, has decided to ship me off to Loras _Fucking _Tyrell." She announced in a bored tone, down another gulp of the mead.

Jaime was silent for a few seconds, not really know what to say to her. He was reminded of when Cersei announced her engagement to Robert Baratheon... it broke him but with this news, he felt something different. Was it disgust? _No..._ Anger? _Partly, yes... _Disappointment? _No... __uproar, yes. She shouldn't be marrying someone who doesn't respect women let alone is attracted to them! He wouldn't love her. _"He can't make you do that."

She smiled at that, "Apparently he can."

"Perhaps you can change his mind?" He suggested, wanting to help her.

Eliana looked so distressed, "I don't want to marry him of all people, I would do _anything_ to put it off."

An idea sprouted into mind as he looked at her, determined to stop the marriage from happening in order to help her. But what he'd just thought of, he knew, she would never agree to but it was worth a try. _It's worth a try..._

"_Help me escape._"

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**

**Ezeiel**


	10. Negotiations

**A/N: Hello everyone again! It's this time of week again and here's another update for you all to read and tell me what you think of it. In this chapter, basically; ****Jaime finds himself regretting asking Eliana for help in order to help her in exchange, Petyr Baelish meets with Catelyn and attempts to negotiate with her, as he tried to with Renly. Robbs discovers letters sent from Oberyn Martell to his sister and confronts her about them.**

**I NEED help! I'm thinking of keeping Catelyn alive after the events of _the red wedding_, but I would like your personal opinions on this choice. I've already been playing around some ideas. Also, ****I'm sorry for the late update, my internet connection has been so bad that I've struggled to do anything online, sorry guys.**

**Please read and review!**

**Negotiations**

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><p>"<em>Have you lost your mind?<em>" Eliana was staring at Jaime with wide eyes, he'd lost it. He'd finally lost it... she put it down to being locked in the stockades for a little of over a year but then she wasn't so sure. He looked serious, like he wanted her to help him desperately.

Jaime shrugged with a smile, "You don't want to marry _Ser Daisy_, so help me escape and I'll help you get your sisters back." He negotiated, knowing it was an appealing option to her.

Eliana shook her head, thinking as his enemy now. "No... I have a duty to follow through on my father's behalf, I will not jeopardise that just to help an enemy to freedom." She vowed to herself, her eyes stinging at her words. She saw the look on his face and shifted uneasily. "Look... I have to help my brother win the war." She knew she was just being honourable but it was her duty to follow through; her father had made her promise to watch over Robb and teach him.

"_Do you honestly think Robb Stark will beat my father? That boy will fall..._" Jaime growled, glowering in annoyance as she refused to listen to him. _How hard is it to accept something so simple?_ "I'm offering you a way out, take it!" Jaime demanded, looking into her eyes and shifting in his spot as he tried to persuade her. He saw that she wasn't going to budge so he told her what he thought would change her mind. "He will kill you and your family, your brother and your mother will die!"

She stared at him silently, seeing how he'd changed all of a sudden. He was welcoming but now he was being hostile towards her because of her defiant nature. _I'm no coward, I will stand and fight alongside my brother and my father's bannermen. We will win... and we will not die._

Jaime sighed and stared right back at her, wondering what she was thinking as she sat there opposite him. It was unnerving. He was stupid, he knew she would never leave her brother or her mother now... but he couldn't stand to watch her fight in this war which could get her killed. _The Starks will die_, he secretly told himself but he also knew that Eliana would do her best to stop that from happening. "What do you love, Lia?" Jaime folded his arms over his chest and he studied her with his eyes. "Tell me what you love."

She looked pained then but she answered him. "Everything I loved is in the past now." Eliana recalled, her eyes glazing over. "I miss the days when I didn't have to fight to stay alive. When I spent my days in the courtyard and my nights reading before a warm hearth." Eliana paused, taking a hesitant breath. She felt the pain erupt through her chest and it made her feel sick. "Before everything I loved was gone."

He frowned, _you have your mother, brothers and sisters still? _"Forgive me, but you still have your family?" Jaime asked carefully, intrigued by her choice of words. Her family was still with her, _scattered yes_, but still alive.

"But not my father." _He held everything together, he was the glue... the soul._

Jaime fell silent then. He didn't know what to say in reply to that - he knew it was still too raw for her to speak of her father's departure from the land of living, even talking of times before he passed. His head was probably sat swaying in the wind right at that moment in the capital. She looked away from him and he caught sight of the fresh line across her neck; the scar he'd given her when they fought outside Littlefinger's brothel in King's Landing.

_Eliana sucked in a breath as Jaime met her quickly, "Little wolf..." He cooed as their blades collided angrily. He laughed when the metal clattering rung through the air, she was better than most._

_Without warning, he struck downwards, aiming for her legs as an attempt to catch her off guard. But he was startled when she brought her blade down quickly enough to deflect the blow, and he went to force her back._

_Jaime was intrigued by her style, "Did your father teach you that? Or Jory?" He taunted, knowing he would always be stronger than her although she was far lighter and quicker on her feet while she moved herself out-of-the-way as he continued to try to force her back.  
><em>

_Eliana sidestepped out-of-the-way, avoiding a blow meant for her shoulder which cause Jaime to curse under his breath before he whirled around to face, blade up and ready._

_She then went to bring her own sword down on Jaime's shoulder but he parried her quickly and pushed her away from him. Jaime then came at her with a complex form and unknown to him, Eliana was very familiar with those thanks to Rodrik Cassel. She ducked and dodged the blade, it clipped her own and it fell to the stone below._

_Jaime smirked as she stood before him unarmed. "Little wolf..." He sighed, sheathing his sword and retrieving the dagger from the fallen Jory and wiping it clean on his trouser leg. _

_He took a strong hold of Ned Stark's daughter, holding her against his chest as the dagger hovered near her neck, waiting. His mouth was at her ear, "Don't move, if you do... the blade will pierce your porcelain skin. We wouldn't want that now would we?" Jaime whispered, staring at Ned as the Lannister guards he'd been fighting, fell to the ground, dead._

_"No further, Stark." Jaime warned, holding the dagger against her neck. "I want my brother back."_

_Ned glared and froze still, his eyes trained on his daughter. "Release her." He went to move forward again._

_In one fluid movement, he dragged his dagger across her neck as if to provoke Ned. __The red liquid ran across her skin. Eliana could feel blood swimming down her arm and to the tips of her fingers. _

_Jaime pushed her away from him then and drew his sword with his smirk burning bright._

He longed to fight her again, a fair fight where he didn't have to hurt her to get what he wanted.

"I'm not helping you escape, Jaime." She muttered, standing silently and moving to pen door, leaving him with the mead. She didn't even send him a last glance, she slipped away into the darkness.

He remembered her eyes, how dark they'd grown in a few moments and as he remembered them, he knew she was replaying the moment her father was beheaded and he knew she was imagining killing all responsible, which probably included him.

* * *

><p>Catelyn had heard he was in the camp, lurking somewhere in the shadows. <em>Why is he here? <em>She asked herself, as she heard someone enter the tent she was occupying for the time being. "How dare you?" She hissed as she clapped eyes on him.

"You may have heard false reports..." Came the voice Petyr Baelish, a short man of slender build with handsome and sharp features. Petyr had grey-green eyes, a small pointed beard on his chin with threads of grey running throughout his dark hair.

Catelyn rose to her feet, feeling nothing but hate towards a man she once respected. "You betrayed Ned." She growled, bearing her teeth like a wolf. The north had changed her, she wasn't the woman she had been while growing up in Riverrun as a girl with her father, ill mother, uncle and siblings.

Petyr Baelish, her father's ward, had grown vile, he was cunning and deceiving - no more the sweet boy who came to Riverrun remained as she stared at him. He had changed and not for the right reasons. He was power-hungry and now wormed his way into minds of the unsuspecting.

"_Betrayed?_" Petyr spat in reply, his eyes wide with shock that she would accuse him of such things._ "_I wanted him to serve as Protector of the Realm. I begged him to seize the moment..." He tried to reason with her, but she would have none of it.

"_I_ trusted you. My _husband_ trusted you." Catelyn shouted, her eyes harsh and wary of the man stood before her. "And you repaid our faith with treachery."

Petyr shook his head desperately, wanting her to understand. "No, My Lady." He argued with a quiet tone, pleading.

"Get out!" Catleyn exclaimed, turning her back on him as he rushed after her.

"Cat, I've..." He composed himself, before he continued. "I've loved you since I was a boy. It seems to me that fate has given us this chance..." He tried but failed miserably as she went for him again.

Catelyn took hold of a knife when she felt him grab her arm, she swung around to face him. "Have you lost your mind?" Catelyn jerked the knife in his direction, threatening to cut him. "Get out!" She repeated in anger.

Petyr backed away from her and turned to exit her tent but decided against it and stayed. "Do you want to see your girls again?" He taunted softly, seeing her face soften at the mere mention of her children, her two daughters. _Sansa... Arya..._ "Sansa, more beautiful than ever. And Arya, just as wild as ever." Petyr mused to himself, knowing he gotten to her so easily by using simple words.

"You have Arya, too?"

Petyr nodded in reassurance, "Both girls are healthy and safe... _for now._"He began again, satisfied that he had her full attention now. "But you know the Queen and you know Joffrey... I fear for their longevity if they remain in the capital." Petyr finished, knowing Catelyn would want to know more now.

Catelyn hesitated, deciding whether she could trust Petyr or not and she was still unsure. He'd betrayed her. "What do you want?" She murmured, lowering the knife and stepping away from him. She didn't have the fight left in her anymore, she couldn't do it... she was suffering from losing Ned. She felt so weak, she just wanted to return home to Winterfell with her children.

"The Lannisters will trade your daughters for the Kingslayer." Petyr informed Cat, moving towards her.

Catelyn scoffed, her anger rising from within her. "Of course they will... Jaime Lannister for two girls?" She spat in annoyance as she looked at Petyr. Her two girls were worth more than any man alive. "Robb will never agree to those terms."

He nodded in agreement, smirking. "I'm not bringing these terms to him. I'm bringing them to you." Petyr spoke.

"You think I'd keep secrets from my son?" Catelyn pressed, her patience going by the second. She hated his games and she certainly didn't have any time for them right now.

Petyr sighed, "Robb has surprised them all with his skills in battle, but he's not a mother." He commented, the truth seeping through to haunt her. "_Consider it, Cat. __You may not get_ _another_ _chance._" He advised, seeing all battle and defiance leaving her face as soon as it had come._ "_I've brought you a gift." He announced, clasping his hands together.

"I don't _want_ your gifts." Once again, she turned her back on him in disgust. She didn't _want_ anything from him.

Petyr walked out of the tent but returned again with two servant carrying a trunk, "A token of Tyrion Lannister's goodwill. He wants you to understand that this exchange of prisoners is offered in _good faith_." He informed her, as the trunk was set down behind her.

Catelyn shook her head at his venom. "Good faith?" She laughed breathlessly, turning back to see a large trunk at her feet. She paused. "What's this?" Catelyn asked, her brows knitting together in confusion but she knew what was in it, deep down, she knew. And it terrified her to her core.

Petyr didn't reply.

Catelyn sunk to her knees and held her breath as she reached for the clasps on the lid. Slowly, she lifted it and her gut was right. She had to stop herself from crying, she needed to be strong for Ned. She wouldn't let him down again by being seen crying, they would think she was weak. She chastised herself.

Petyr wasn't finished with torturing his childhood love, continuing to speak of Ned. "Your husband was an honorable man. He should rest beside his family in the crypts beneath Winterfell." Petyr tried to comfort her with all he could, not wanting her to push him further anymore. "You may not believe..." He began but didn't get to finish.

Catelyn felt tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. "Get out." She whispered, finding that she didn't have the strength anymore to threaten him.

Petyr didn't speak, instead he bowed his head and fled the tent.

And then Catelyn cried, unable to compose herself any longer. She wanted nothing more than to hold him and kiss him but all that was impossible... and she would never see Ned again, and neither would her children, _their _children.

* * *

><p>Robb's face twisted as his eyes scanned the pieces of parchment in his hands. His jaw tightened as each word sunk into his mind, sparking his anger and interest to what she'd been up to. But now, he was shocked to finally discover what his sister had been up to in Dorne. He wished he'd never walked into her tent in the first place.<p>

When she arrived home from her trip, she didn't speak much of the trip, only that it was entertaining and that she would do it again. Robb hadn't thought much of it then but now it made sense; she had been with Oberyn Martell. _Oberyn Martell! _"No wonder she was so reluctant to speak of it... does mother know? Did father?" Robb questioned himself as he continued to read.

"_... your departure has left me bored. I fear my sanity of life will be questioned as I find myself clueless of attempting to occupy all the free hours I now have. Come back and see me again, I miss you._" He muttered, shaking his head. He didn't know whether to be shocked or amused. "Please don't tell me she let this man bed her..."

Robb forced the first message behind the others and began to read the second, pausing to see how recent it was. "_I am sorry to hear of your father's brutal murder by the bastard Joffrey – if it were my decision I would join you and your brother immediately – at dusk or dawn but sadly, my brother won't submit himself to as such..._" Robb spoke while his brown deepened.

Unknown to him, Eliana had entered her tent and froze when she spotted her brother rooting through her possessions. She didn't speak or make to snatch the letters back from Robb, she stood and watched him silently instead.

Robb closed his eyes, "Lia, what did you do?" He asked, his fingers tapping against the weirwood desk in her tent as he lent over it while he read. He could feel his heart getting faster the more he thought of what she'd done in Dorne.

"_Depends_, what do you think I did?" She spoke up, sinking into a chair. She watched as Robb turned on his heel to spot her sitting behind him with a tilted head. "Found something to your liking, brother? Oh, _please_, do spill..."

Robb's brow fell into a frown, scoffing he replied. "_...I will seek you out after this war; I will find you and take you away from the horrors of Westeros. I promise you._" He read aloud for her to hear as well. "You let Oberyn Martell bed you?"

"You can tell that from the letters?" Eliana jested, laughing when his face falling at her amusement. She was happy that someone had finally found them if she was being honest with herself, she'd been purposely leaving them lying around for someone to find them and Robb had and now she could taunt him. "That's exactly what father said... it's rude to root through someone's possessions Robb, you should know better. You're a _king_." She mused with a soft smile, "It was nothing, _fun_ but nothing."

"This was not nothing, Lia." Robb contradicted, pulling a seat over to her before seating himself in front of her. "You will marry _Ser Daisy_, if you wanted this man so much I don't understand why you didn't marry yourself to him in the first place." He trailed off, re-reading the letter.

"I regret it, Robb. Believe me, I do."

He rubbed his temple in contemplation, a brooding look flowing onto his face. "All you have to do is marry _Ser Daisy_, to help get us through the war." Robb began, seeing the uneasy look on his sister's face. "And when we win the war, you can be with the _Viper_." He concluded, leaning back in his chair and feeling slightly proud of his conclusion to their disagreement.

Eliana shook her head, appreciating his help despite how awful it was in her eyes. "Robb, you make it sound so easy... it's not. It never will be and don't negotiate, I hate negotiating."

Robb nodded in understanding. He just wanted to do something right for his sister, she deserved to be happy as did everyone in their family... but her most of all in his eyes. In silence, he stood and made for the tent entrance but her voice called him back. "Robb..." He turned back to face his sister, seeing her looking worried. "Don't speak of this to mother, I'm planning to tell her soon. When she arrives from Renly's camp, in fact."

Robb's eyes widened at the news, he didn't know their mother was left in the dark. He thought she knew. "Mother doesn't know of this?" He stuttered, hardly believing what he was hearing from Eliana. "Why haven't you told her? _Her _of all people should know."

She rolled her eyes, "Because it's Oberyn Martell." That was true, Catelyn had never been keen on the idea of him being a suitor for Eliana. Ned had once told Eliana Catelyn's exact thoughts on the man and she didn't disagree but when she met him, all of what she'd been told was false. Oberyn was lustful yes, but he was so much more than what other men were. He was interesting, he knew many things, he could write and read and he could fight _properly_.

Oberyn was enchanting and he enchanted Eliana as soon as she saw him.

"You love him."

Eliana stifled a laugh, "I have to disagree with your assumption." She noted with a small smile. She wasn't in love with the man but he made all her problems go away in such a short amount of time. "He's a wonderful man, full of surprises but..." She stopped, feeling uneasy as she thought more and more of their relationship.

"_But_?" Robb moved back over to her, concerned.

Eliana sighed and shook her head, this wasn't a matter of importance now. "You have a war to plan do you not?" She inquired, rising to her feet. She saw the look he gave her but she chose to ignore it. "You don't need to worry over me, Robb, it's in the past." She smiled, pushing him out of her tent while she followed behind. "We have a war to win."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please read and review?**

**Catelyn to live?**


	11. Assurance

**A/N: It's this time of week again! Chapter eleven already? In this chapter, Catelyn returns to Robb's camp with Brienne and surprises Robb but when Eliana goes to greet her mother, she is ambushed by a giant AKA Brienne of Tarth who later finds out that Eliana is a good friend to have, however, the happiness is short-lived as news arrives from Winterfell.**

**From your responses to the question of whether keeping Catelyn alive or not, I've come to the decision to keep her in the land of the living. Thanks for helping me reach this decision, I'm very grateful!**

**Wi-Fi has been crappy still, so sorry!**

**Assurance**

* * *

><p>Robb smiled when he spotted Talisa through the crowds of his troops belonging to him. She was sat on a fallen tree trunk, writing. "Lady Talisa." Robb called out to her, drawing her attention to him immediately.<p>

She smiled. "Your Grace." She bowed her head to Robb in respect. "I'm not sure I'm a lady... Westerosi customs are still a bit foreign to me." Talisa told him with an amused smile.

"It's hard to keep all the rules straight." Robb added, sighing as he watched her. "But if I remember my lessons, a woman of noble birth is always called a lady unless she's a queen or a princess... I could find someone who knows." He frowned, confusing himself more and more on titles of noble birth.

"Why are you so sure I'm of noble birth?" Talisa inquired, frowning as well.

Robb chuckled. "Because it's obvious." Robb stated, confidently.

Talisa nodded in understanding. "What if I told you my father sold lace on the long bridge and my mother, my brother, and I lived with him above our shop?" She asked, rising to her feet and turning to face him fully, intrigued by their conversation and where it was heading.

"I'd call you a liar." Robb stepped towards her.

Talisa kept a straight face as she continued to speak to Robb. "Not very noble to accuse a lady of dishonesty..." She spoke with an offended tone which soon died down when she finally gave in, seeing Robb not looking very convinced by her attempt to fool him. "I always thought I was a brilliant liar." Talisa let out a content sigh.

Robb smiled at her. "Better at amputations, I'm afraid." He said while she returned his smile but then silence fell and Robb knew he had to keep the conversation alive. "Quite a pretty spot." He gestured to where she had been sat writing.

Talisa nodded. clasping her hands together. "Will we be here long?"

Robb sighed. "I couldn't really discuss troop movements with you." He let her know with a simple shrug.

"I'm not a spy." Talisa stated.

"Of course a spy would deny being a spy."

"You're right. You've found me out." Talisa admitted, lifting her letter to read it to him. "I'm writing a letter to the Lannisters. _The young wolf is on the move_." She jested, as she and Robb bother shared a laugh.

The laughed trailed off and Robb's smiled faded. "Perhaps you'd join me..." He trailed off, thinking of how many wound troops she could be seeing to at any time and thinking it a bad idea yet he still continued to speak and he didn't notice her gaze falling behind him as he tried to speak. "If you've got time, of course, for, well..." He was interrupted by another voice, not Talisa's but one he would recognise anywhere.

His mothers.

"Robb." Catelyn Tully smiled as she wondered over to her eldest son, his auburn curls flowing freely in the wind while he stood strong and clad in armour. She opened her arms as he moved to greet her with a warm embrace.

"Mother." Robb smiled in return, pulling away to see her looking in the direction of Talisa and turning back to Talisa, not wanting to leave her out. "Mother, this is Lady Talisa. She's been helping with the wounded." Robb informed Catelyn as he walked her over to Talisa. "She's been very... helpful."

Catelyn looked at her son oddly as he spoke, seeing the way he was watching the woman. "Lady Talisa." She greeted with a smile but it was clearly false.

Talisa bowed her head in return. "Lady Stark." She murmured, feeling slightly out-of-place.

"Lady Talisa...?" Catelyn frowned, not knowing of a noble name, wanting to know which house she had been born into but the name she heard was unfamiliar to her ears.

"Maegyr."

Catelyn's tried to think of a house with that name but none came to mind. "Maegyr? Forgive me, I do not know this name." She apologised to the woman who had enchanted her son.

Talisa smiled and shook her head. "An uncommon name here... an old name in Volantis." She told Catelyn quickly, wanting to escape from her. "Excuse me, My Lady. Your Grace." She bowed, rushing off in another direction as Robb's eyes followed her.

Catelyn looked to Robb again, seeing him still watching the woman but when he felt her eyes on him he turned back to look at her quickly. "I've missed you." He stated, as they walked together while trying to ignore the giant-like woman trailing behind.

"Yes, you look positively forlorn." Catelyn observed honestly, wearing a small smile and allowing her eyes to look around the camp.

Robb smiled at her words and shook his head, knowing what she was thinking. She knew he was intrigued by the foreign beauty in the camp, but it couldn't evolve into anything else. It would _have _die as soon as it was born. "You surprised me, that's all... I didn't think I'd see you today." He admitted quietly.

But Catelyn changed the subject soon enough, one he needed to be aware of before anything happened. "I wish that you were free to follow your heart." Her voice was sad and laced with understanding but it was the truth. The horrible truth that collided with debts to other houses.

Robb bit on his lower lip and let a sigh through his lips. "I know." He agreed with a curt nod.

"You have inherited your father's responsibilities." She let out, wishing he could choose freely but that wasn't the case. "I'm afraid they come at a cost." They'd stopped now, turning to face each other; making sure that Robb understood the situation he was in.

"I know."

Catelyn, however, wasn't so sure he would listen to her council on _love advice_... she wasn't that good at it herself and it didn't help her much when she was to wed Ned. _Ned... _"You are promised to another... a debt that must be paid." She stared long and hard at him, determined to drum that debt into his mind so he would not forget every time his eyes landed on _Talisa Maegyr_...

Robb looked like a child in that moment, scuffing his boots into the mud and rolling his eyes. "I haven't forgotten." He complained weakly, he too, knowing that there was debt to Walder Frey that was not to be messed with.

Catelyn frowned, her eyes scanning the camp in front of them. She hadn't even spotted Eliana in the crowds. "Now, where is your sister? I want to see her." She made to move forward, wanting to see her daughter and greet her as well before she even considered to retire to her tent.

Behind them, while they moved to walk onwards Eliana had began to approach them from behind. She wanted to surprise her mother. However, as she walked she was suddenly thrown back by something that felt like a wall in her mind but when she looked up it was an entirely different type of wall altogether. To her surprise, it was a woman, a very tall woman wearing a rather unattractive grimace on her face. She couldn't help herself so she spoke, "Gods, you're like a wall..." Eliana jested lightly.

The woman to Eliana's disappointment, didn't take the jest so _lightly_ and pushed her back with a shove to the shoulder. "No farther." Her voice was gruff and held no emotion to it. She was the only thing that was standing between Eliana and her mother, a human mountain, almost a head (nearly two) taller than her.

"Very funny." Eliana made to move past her but this time the shove was harder than the first and more forceful. Eliana's eyes dropped into a glare as she glanced up at the woman, she noted that her hand was sat comfortably on the hilt of her sword at her waist which didn't help the situation through her eyes. Not understanding why, Eliana when to move past her and amazingly the woman just let her by.

_Well, that was oddly amusing..._ she let out a sigh, but her walking seised when Eliana felt a surge of pain erupt from her leg. Panic and recognition flooded her usually clear mind as she remembered the pain from the past. Her eyes trailed down to see a sharp metal point protruding from just above her knee. Her legs fell from beneath her as the blade was ripped from her leg roughly, the force of the removal shot Eliana forward onto her hands as she winced.

The giant woman walked in front of her, "What are you doing?!" She exclaimed, seeing the blood run from her leg and curdle with the mud. Her voice caught the attention of both her mother and brother, who turned in horror to see the scene behind them as the troops also began to notice.

Manfred, seeing the situation ran over to Brienne. He forced himself in front of Eliana as if to protect her, Robb was by her side in an instant. "This is the King's sister and Lady Stark's daughter." He informed her with a harsh voice, looking behind him. He swung back to glare at Brienne, his eyes full of rage. "What on seven hells do you think you're doing raising a sword to her? Are you soft in the head?!"

Ignoring the conflict, Robb lifted his sister and supported her by wrapping his arm around her middle and sharing her weight. "Come on..." He whispered to her, seeing her wince. "Fred, help me get her to her tent." Robb looked to the man confronting Brienne, who ran to Eliana as soon as Robb's voice reached his ears.

It was Brienne's turn to become horrified. Brienne stared wide-eyed, feeling Catelyn push past her to follow them with haste, hurriedly picking up her dress trains. She saw a state of vexation on her lady's face, and she knew she would send her on her way after her daughter was seen to... and she'd only just pledged fealty to her and had _already_ failed her.

Just like she failed Renly,_ her King_.

* * *

><p>Catelyn stared as blood flowed freely from her daughter's thigh and soaking the white cloth beneath, staining it crimson in seconds. She couldn't believe Brienne had attacked her daughter, <em>her own daughter<em>. It was her own fault; she hadn't even registered what was occurring behind her until she turned and clapped eyes on Eliana in agony on the ground with Brienne standing over her, sword in hand.

Talisa had seen to her wound and had noted that there was no permanent damage to her leg and she slowly started to wrap a silk dressing over the wound. "The wound is fairly deep, the blade missed the bone by inches. You're lucky." Talisa announced once she'd inspected Eliana's throbbing leg and deemed it fine, she then moved to offer her the last of the milk of the poppy from her stores.

"No," Eliana interrupted with a shake of her head, her hand blocking her mouth and blocking Talisa's access. She wouldn't take that, she never did unless she had absolutely no choice in the matter and knowing that she had, she wouldn't have Talisa waste it on her when others needed it more.

Catelyn eyes widened, she grabbed her daughter's hand and drew her attention to her. "Lia, it will help with the pain..." She told her, almost scolding her. She didn't want to see her in anymore pain, she didn't know if she could stand it anymore.

But Eliana wasn't going to be persuaded so easily. The liquid made her want to be sick, it had a horrible taste to it. "Don't waste that on me, give it to those who _truly _need it..." She advised Talisa, who nodded her head and quickly exited the tent. She could see why Robb liked the girl, she was dutiful and kind.

Brienne stepped forward then, looking sincere. She couldn't believe she'd attacked Lady Catelyn's daughter, who she thought was going to hurt her in some way... she couldn't believe herself. She had never been so humiliated in all her life. "Truly, I am sorry my lady." She bowed her head, ashamed of her actions when she chose stab Eliana in the leg earlier. "If I had known and hadn't drawn my sword then- "

Eliana laughed, cutting off Brienne in mid sentence. "Nonsense, you thought I was a threat so you attacked - quite well, I might add." She admired with a smile. She liked the giant of a woman her mother had found to protect her. "I should very much like to fight you _properly_, Lady Brienne." She gestured to her leg, hoping for it to heal soon so she could fight this beast of a woman.

"You will do no such thing." Catelyn pre-warned the pair of them, knowing that Brienne would only agree. Catelyn looked to her daughter who had mouthed something to Brienne behind her back. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Lady Brienne, if my daughter dares to consult you on the matter, I order you to decline."

A hint of a smile flashed upon Brienne's lips but as soon as it had appeared it had vanished. "I'm no lady." Brienne scoffed, looking to the ground. She hated being called that, _Lady Brienne_.

Catelyn watched her daughter, seeing amusement fill those Tully eyes of hers. "I used to say that all the time when I was a child - your father is a Lord as was mine, which makes us ladies whether we wish to be or not, Brienne. It's the undying truth, I'm afraid." Eliana explained with a soft voice, excited of the new arrival in their camp.

Brienne bowed her head. "If you say so my lady, but I think we both prefer our own views on the prospects of titles... I know I certainly do." She told Eliana with a strong voice, it was commanding.

"I like you." Eliana mused warmly which caught Brienne off guard. She knew the woman had probably had a hard time befriending people, especially fitting in with the other girls while growing up in Tarth. "You're just like me. Tell me did you like to brawl in the mud with your brothers at Evenfall Hall?"

Brienne shifted uncomfortably then. She hadn't thought of her family in such a long time, she'd never been expecting questions about them. "My only brother drowned at a young age, Your Grace." Brienne murmured letting the title fall unconsciously.

"My brother's the King..." Eliana corrected, sighing. "I'm sorry to have brought up the subject, however, I feel as though we should try it out sometime but mother here will be on the look out." She joked, her and Brienne sharing a smile. "None of the girls in Winterfell would dare brawl in the mud with _Eliana Stark_ but my brothers, Robb and Jon would agree in a heartbeat."

"I envy you, my lady." Brienne told her, honestly. She'd always wanted more siblings after the deaths of her brother and two infant sisters and with her mother's death, that never happened.

Eliana reached forward to place her hand on hers, giving it a small squeeze. "If we win this, which we will... we'll brawl in the mud and laugh about it before a warm hearth in the castle walls of Winterfell, my friend." She concluded, thinking far into the future. She wanted that, more than anything. She wanted for things to return to how they had been before the reckoning came.

The Lannisters.

Catelyn stroked her hair as she ran her fingers through its soft strands. She had to use all her strength to not correct her when she counted the bastard as her brother, but she knew Eliana loved Jon. She loved him a lot. "There is only one, Eliana Stark, and she is my daughter... my daughter who should have been born a boy." Catelyn spoke, absently reminding Brienne for future preference.

"Brawling in the mud used to pass the time and climbing the walls of Winterfell." She thought as Catelyn glared at her momentarily. "I've always been a bad influence on my siblings. Don't look at me like that."

Brienne watched as Eliana and Catelyn began to bicker quietly. "I'll take my leave, my lady?" Brienne addressed Catelyn warily. She nodded, and the woman rushed out of the tent as soon as she could.

Eliana stared after the woman, bewildered and feeling slightly overwhelmed by the giant. "Poor woman's shaken." She commented, still amused at the entire situation. "She took me down in an instant, where did you find her?" She questioned, her eyes focusing on her mother's face.

"Renly's camp... she pledged fealty to me after Renly was murdered." Catelyn replied quietly, still stroking her hair.

Eliana nodded. "Did you enjoy your time there, mother?" She asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"No." Catelyn's reply sounded sarcastic in a way, but her face was stern and pained all at once, conflict flew across it in a flurry. She noticed the tense atmosphere in the air and immediately knew something was the matter. "Why do I have the feeling you have something you wish to tell me..." Catelyn acknowledged with her motherly smile, losing her stern nature.

She mentally cursed herself for even discussing Oberyn Martell with her brother now, she knew she would regret telling him her truths sooner or later. But Robb wouldn't betray her trust in him would her? _I confided in him..._ "Yes," Eliana finally answered after a delayed response. She saw her mother staring at her, brows raised as she waited. "Concerning my trip to Dorne."

Eliana then saw her mother's brow line rise in interest at the subject, she was surprised. "What is it?" She inquired, her voice soaked with worry as she moved closer towards her. She could see the worry in her eyes. "I hope it's nothing bad..."

She hesitated but decided her mother should know of her truths, and chose to put it to rest so she could move on. "I allowed Oberyn Martell to bed me." She uttered but it was loud enough for her mother to hear.

She couldn't begin to comprehend her raging thoughts. She'd been so stupid when she was with Oberyn but he made her forget. He made her forget her troubles, all her worries. She could be free in Sunspear, they didn't care about what was going on in the North. But she wasn't sure if it was a regret or not... "I didn't think the repercussions through, I didn't want to end up with a bastard in my belly and I didn't… but that could have been drastically different." Her words swam out in a mutter.

It was silent for a moment. Eliana rose her eyes to see Catelyn was not looking at her _but_ she was replaying what she'd told tell over in her mind and now she was terrified, no she was more than terrified. She was hysterical, paralysed with fear of her mother's reaction because she didn't have a clue on how she would.

First, she saw her eyes harden as they fell on her once again. Her jaw had tightened, her lips thinned into nothing. The anger reflected across her face, each feature with the emotion. And then came her words. "Did I bring you up to sleep with men as it please you?!" Catelyn paused briefly, "I did not raise a whore..." She was definitely horror-struck, she couldn't move as shock infiltrated her mind. _Whore? She called me a whore..._

A frown fell on her face as Eliana swallowed hard and looked away. "One man mother, _one man_ does not make me a whore... I don't take my pleasure by sleeping with all men who are willing, otherwise I would live in a brothel." There was a hateful tone to her voice, harsh and brittle with frustration. She knew her voice was higher than it usually was but she didn't care, she was too hurt to care.

Catelyn went to speak but Eliana interrupted her. "No." She confirmed with her hateful tone. "You asked so I will finish..." She stayed silent as Eliana continued on. "He greeted me when I arrived in Sunspear, it was innocent flirtations at first…" Eliana spoke as if trying to convince Catelyn to believe her words. "He would make advances towards me and I would reject them; when we would spar in the courtyards, at feasts which he often attempted to and mainly in my quarters, he would lurk around." She listed from what she could remember of her trip which had almost been forgotten this past year. "Then one day during a sparring session - I don't know what made me do it, the thought of it or it being forbidden... I can't say because I truly don't know what possessed me to even consider doing such a thing."

Catelyn had to bite her tongue as to make sure she didn't lose all the control that remained within in her. Her disappointment was indescribable, there were no words she could think for her daughter's bold actions. She'd expected so much from her. "Please, don't tell me this is reason for why you were late returning to Winterfell…" Her disappointment was clear in her words, her face had softened and let go of its angry assault to scare her daughter. But her eyes, they still remained deadly. "_Because of him?_"

"No, no." Eliana forced herself up into a sitting position, determined to get her mother to listen to her without her misinterpreting what she would say. "I told you I rode through Riverrun and saw grandfather on one of his good days… he's not well at all mother."

She saw distress take its toll on Catelyn then, she saw the guilt and dishonour and the pain. "I meant to visit him when returning from King's Landing but the Imp put a stop to that plan immediately. I feel so guilty." She felt Eliana reach for her hand and sighed in relief when Catelyn allowed her to.

Eliana smiled sadly at the memory of Hoster Tully. She imagined his laughing blue eyes and his cloud-like soft hair as it slowly transformed from auburn to white, however, when she last laid eyes on him he had transitioned into the old lord who had been sick for two years, weak and sickly.

"Mother." Catelyn's attention was drawn to her daughter, she saw her laughing softly. She tilted her head in question, a small frown emerging. "I am a Stark of Winterfell." Catelyn agreed with a nod. "Our sigil is the direwolf." She nodded again. "And yet he insists on calling me _little fawn_."

_Little fawn... _Catelyn's eyes softened as she recalled her father's words. "He has always referred to you as such even when you were a babe. He claimed you were doe-eyed – you had beautiful eyes that left him smitten." Catelyn remembered as if it were clear as day, she remembered when her father first laid eyes upon his granddaughter and named her a Tully and Ned had argued that she was a true Stark. "Your father, my father, my uncle – all the men fell at your feet, my beautiful daughter." Catelyn's hands trailed to her cheek, and with a sigh she replied and changed the subject. "I dare say I'm not surprised... if I'm truly honest myself, I knew something had gone on while you had been at Dorne."

Eliana sighed and looked down, "You knew?" She couldn't deny how confused she was feeling then, one moment Catelyn was furious and the next she was understanding.

She shrugged, "A mother _always _knows... but no, you really think your father wouldn't have told me, Lia?" Catelyn questioned with an amused look. "I had wanted to express my thoughts on the matter sooner but I hadn't had the chance and since you brought it up I felt it was right... Oberyn would have been a suitable match but no one will ever be good enough for you."

That alone made Eliana smile, they told her that continuously while she was growing up. Cat and Ned both. "I always thought I was good at lying."

Catelyn smiled lovingly at her and disagreed. "Ever the terrible liar, Lia. You and Bran..." Catelyn's eyes saddened then when she thought of Bran, her handsome boy who was waiting for her return. Her innocent, pure boy, now a cripple.

"Don't."

She met Eliana's eyes and saw how the guilt flooded back through her. "I should have never have let him out of my sight, if only father hadn't had stopped me... then I may have been able to prevent it..." In the candlelight, the scars on Catelyn's hands drew Eliana's attention to them. The knife had cut through her soft skin so deeply that Eliana was afraid the bleeding would never stop. "When I found you in his room with the assassin..." She trailed, frightened to get the words out.

But Catelyn knew what she was struggling to get out with her words. "You saved my life, Lia." Her words were filled with nothing but love and admiration for her. "And your brother's life, you rescued him from that tower and you saved him from that assassin... I could ask no more of you."

Eliana went to speak again but she was interrupted. "How are you holding up, Lia?" Robb's loud voice announced as he strode into the tent, dripping wet. His stubble was growing into a beard now, making him look older than his years.

She smirked at Robb. "Nice weather, eh?" Eliana jested, as she watched him remove his gloves and cloak. She continued to watch as he moved towards them, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of their mother's head before going to her side. He saw the state of her leg and sighed. "Brienne of Tarth really did attack you..." He noted with a wary glance. "Mother, since when did you trade our protection for that of a guard dog?" Robb laughed.

"I will have words with her."

Eliana shook her head, not wanting to cause the woman anymore worry. "No mother, Brienne's a wreck as it is. Leave her be, she's made her peace." She explained, feeling no hatred towards the woman.

"Who would've thought, Lia allowing someone to get away with besting her." Robb grinned and planted a kiss upon his sister's head. "How long will it take to heal?" He pressed, showing his concern more easily now.

"I- "

Their eyes flew to the tent entrance as an out-of-breath Roose Bolton stumbled in, rain running down his face. "Your Grace." He bowed his head to Robb who was sat beside his sister. His eyes then landed on Catelyn and Eliana. "My Lady. My Lady." His head lowered again in respect, his eyes trailing to the wound on Eliana's leg. He lifted a small scroll of parchment and sighed. "News from Winterfell."

Upon hearing his words, Robb rose to his feet. He looked to his mother who shared his look of worry. "What news?"

Bolton didn't reply.

Eliana sighed, "Robb, pass me the crutches." She gestured to the pieces of wood leaning against the desk. When he handed them to her, she quickly stood and positioned them under her arms for support and then moved to follow Robb as he and Bolton stormed out of the tent. "For the night is dark and full of terrors..." Eliana murmured, not noticing Catelyn's eyes upon her as her mother recognised her words of those belonging to the red woman, Melisandre.

Catelyn's brow deepened as she followed them, mulling the sentence over in her mind. _For__ the night is dark and full of terrors? I am going to question her of this Lord of Light..._

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><p>"This cannot be true..." Robb denied as his eyes scanned the writing in his hands. Catelyn and Eliana stood at his side, both sharing the look of betrayal.<p>

Bolton sighed, clasping his hands together and continued to deliver his bad news._ "_We've had ravens from White Harbor_,_ Barrowton and the Dreadfort. I'm afraid it is true." He explained in his usual soft voice, a deep frown pulling at his brows.

Robb shook his head, not understanding what he was hearing let alone what he'd read. "Why? Why would Theon..." He trailed off, still in shock that his friend had betrayed his trust and sided with his father.

"Because the Greyjoys are treasonous whores."

"_My brothers?_" Robb dared to ask in a hushed voice. He caught Eliana's gaze and corrected himself. "_Our brothers?_"

"We've heard nothing of them." Bolton hesitated, allowing a short uneasy pause to pass before he carried on. "But Rodrik Cassel is dead."

That stabbed the three Starks standing before him, Rodrik was loyal until the very end.

Catelyn was pacing, unable to keep her anger under lock and key. "I told you, never trust a Greyjoy!" She exclaimed, her anger rippling through the tent as Bolton looked down. She couldn't believe what was happening, their ward, betraying them and taking Wintterfell. And what of her youngest, _Bran and Rickon..._

"I must go North at once." Robb got to his feet and rushed around the table but Bolton stopped him quickly.

"There's still a war to win, Your Grace." He contradicted Robb's judgment, making him aware of his other commitments.

Robb rushed towards Bolton, glaring in fury. "How can I call myself king if I can't hold my own castle?!" He growled, staring down the man in front of him. "How can I ask men to follow me if I can't..." He trailed off in disappointment.

Eliana started forward, discarding her crutches in order to get through to her brother. "You are a king." She reminded steadily. "And that means you don't have to do everything yourself." Her words were slow and meant to bring meaning of sending another to make sure they were to not lose what they'd already gained.

"Let me go and talk to Theon." Catelyn spoke up, looking to her daughter who was staring intently at Robb, waiting for him to decide.

Robb shook his head. "There will be no talk. He will die for this." He concluded, his hands bawling in fists as he jaw tightened at the mere mention of the traitor's name.

Bolton looked between his king and his sister, who was closer to him than necessary. "Theon holds the castle with a skeleton crew." He commented, adding further unwanted information for Robb. "Let me send word to my bastard at the Dreadfort. He can raise a few hundred men and retake Winterfell before the new moon." Bolton promised, wanting to help his King.

Eliana nodded in agreement, strangely seeing that Bolton did have some sense to help them. "We have the Lannisters on the run." Eliana stated, determined to make him listen to what they were saying. "If you march all the way back north now, you'll lose what you gained." Her voice was hard and stern. Eliana needed for Robb to listen properly so he didn't make any rational decisions that he would regret on the morrow.

"My boy would be honored to bring you Prince Theon's head." Bolton persuaded carefully.

Robb's anger did not waver as he glowered at Roose Bolton. "Tell your son Bran and Rickon's safety is paramount. And Theon..." He started, a raw sadness emerging now. "I want him brought to me alive. I want to look him in the eye and ask him why." He said more to himself than anyone else. He couldn't believe that Theon would do such a thing to him, they were brothers. "And then I'll take his head myself."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**

**Ezeiel**


	12. And so he swam home

**A/N: HELLO, hi everyone! It's this time again this week, this update it a little later than usual but that's my fault only! My Art coursework is demanding and has taken up a lot of my time. Anyway, in this chapter Eliana ponders over Theon's betrayal and remembers when she first met him. Jaime and her share a little chat, and Ser Alton returns to Robb's camp with bad news and ends up being shut in a pen with Jaime.**

**Please read and review.**

**And so he swam home...**

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><p>She could hear the sighs of the muck below as it flattened beneath her boots, moaning almost in pain as was she. Her leg was giving her a great deal of grief as she struggled through the mud while the rain pelted her with a deadly assault of its one from above. She'd decided she couldn't stay in Robb's tent any longer; she would only say something she would regret about him trusting Theon.<p>

She'd known, all along. _Time will only tell_ she told her father once but he, like Robb had chosen to ignore her judgment and instead settled for their own. He was a kraken in an unfamiliar sea but he could swim and so he swam home.

That small boy who had come to Winterfell with her father, whom she'd grown up with, ran back to his rebelling father and now her brothers safety was compromised and thanks to that Iron Born prick they were stuck in between; going north to take back Winterfell, or continuing south with their cause. She'd cursed herself for not stepping up, _Let me go, I'll bring him back but with a head I cannot ensure…_ she'd wanted to say to Robb but kept quiet.

That boy who had once arrived at Winterfell as her father's ward had now reappeared.

If her father were alive to bare witness to this, he would've cursed Robb for being so lenient in the first place, allowing him to return to Pyke.

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><p>The wind was harsh on the day of his return from the Greyjoy's Rebellion. Her father was coming home! Eliana had missed him so much, nearly as much as when he went to fight in King Robert's rebellion.<p>

But now he was bringing someone back with him, not a brother like Jon but a guest. Eliana couldn't imagine what a baby kraken would be like, she imagined him to be vicious and cruel. Though, any child of ten years would expect that from a child of the Iron Islands. She couldn't suppress the excitement that was surging through her body, not for the kraken but for her Lord father.

"Ow, Jon." Catelyn noticed a commotion beside her and saw Eliana and Jon conversing quietly. She frowned when she witnessed Jon trying to fasten her Tully pin to her cloak. "Jon, let me." Catelyn went to take over but Eliana waved her hands off, prevented her from doing so.

"No, mother." She turned back to Jon. "Jon can manage as long as he doesn't poke me with the needle again..." She smiled at her half-brother and eventually had to help him close the clasp. She adjusted the pin once Jon had finally sorted it; she pressed a kiss to his cheek as a thank you.

Even though she loathed the boy, she appreciated that he made her children happy despite him being an outcast in her eyes.

"If father fought his father, _why_ is he bringing him here?"

On the other side of Catelyn stood Eliana's younger brother, Robb, along with Maester Luwin, and some of their household. Only three years, Sansa was confined to her room, suffering from a small fever and her mother was carrying an unborn child that she couldn't wait to meet.

She found her breath barely drew steam - it was rather a warm morning in the north. She noticed her mother's nervousness as she twirled the trim of her cloak between her gloved fingers. She was watching Robb and she knew she was trying to think of how to explain to the boy of six that the kraken would be more of a fosterling than a hostage which of course was not true.

To call him a fosterling would imply that he was a foster-brother, and he wasn't her mother had assured her earlier that morning when she had questioned her in her chambers. _The boy might be dead in five years if his mad father chooses to rebel again... _Catelyn had told her. Hostage would be more appropriate in her eyes but then she thought he should be in a cage. But the lordling was to be raised with her and her siblings.

"Theon is your father's ward now." Catelyn spoke softly, not because she shied from the truth but because it would be hard for Robb to understand at his age. "Think of him as a guest."

Robb nodded, fidgeting, more distracted by the horses trotting into the courtyard than his mother talking to him of the kraken.

Riding ahead of his men, Ned looked every bit of a man who had just been through a war. His cheekbones were harder than before and definitely in need of a month's good food. Theon rode beside him on a soot-coloured pony.

The kraken child was boy of nine or so, lean and dark-haired like most of his family, Eliana remembered, huddled beneath a black cloak. His eyes were blank and frozen, and she saw that his hands were also wrapped up in the thick folds of his cloak.

Ned slid from his destrier and strode quickly towards his growing family. First, he enveloped his wife into his arms and pressed a soft kiss against her lips as his hand moved to touch the small bump that rounded her stomach. "I'm glad to be home, especially before the babe arrives." His voice was warm and well-missed. He knew Catelyn wasn't due for months but he was just glad to be home with her.

Unlike most Northmen, Ned didn't clap people on the shoulder. Instead, he took Robb and gave him a gentle squeeze. "You've gotten taller." He observed, running his hand through his red curls. After a few words with Jon, Ned moved away from his two boys to only stop and look at his eldest daughter.

She'd changed in the months he'd been away from them. She was his little wolf; her hair now had an auburn tint to it and it cascaded down her back in a long braid. Her eyes were a mixture of blue and grey… he couldn't tell if she was Stark or Tully anymore but he didn't care. "Come here, sweetling." He lifted her into his arms and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I've missed you, sweet girl." Ned set her back down, smiling still. "Where's Sansa?" He straightened his legs, noticing that his youngest wasn't there to greet him alongside her siblings.

Catelyn went to answer but Eliana beat her to it, reach for her father's hand. "She's ill... a fever according to Maester Luwin." Ned chuckled at her tone of voice, knowing she was his tough little girl.

"None as tough as you sweetling." He squeezed her hand. Ned nodded back to his ward. "This is Theon Greyjoy, heir to the Iron Islands. He is our guest now." He glanced back at the kraken child and prompted him wordlessly to answer.

The child slid from his pony, face pale and emotionless. He bowed his head as his own way of greeting, blank-eyed and stiff. "Lady Stark, Lady Eliana, Lord Robb." His pony looked more inquisitive than him.

Theon approached them slowly and Robb smiled at him innocently. "Do you want to play heroes?" He pressed, nudging Jon who nodded eagerly beside him.

Theon didn't reply instead he shrugged a response, and he didn't return the innocent smile.

"You're being rude." Eliana commented while she glowered and let go of her father's hand, moving towards her mother. "Doesn't he like us mother? Why did father have to choose a discourteous one as his ward…" She pressed, already feeling annoyed with _this_ kraken.

Ned laughed, "Discourteous? Where did you learn that?" He teased, seeing the playful glare Eliana sent him in return.

"Maester Luwin." She answered in her satisfied voice, pleased that her father had noticed her progress in her lessons with Luwin.

Robb joined her questioning then, confused by Theon's empty responses. "Why's he so quiet? Does he hate us, mother?"

Catelyn sighed and bent down to their height and brushed the hair that fell into their eyes away from their faces. She felt no empathy for the boy, but she knew he must be grieving. "He has lost his older brothers and he is far from home. Give him a few days."

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><p>"That small boy of nine…" She mumbled to herself, unable to come to terms with the sudden happenings.<p>

Her eyes found the sky and for a moment, she wished she could just vanish up there… where no one could bother or pester her for a moment of her time. She wished she could fly… _like a dragon_. She laughed to herself when the thought crossed her mind. "Don't be so stupid."

She didn't want to think of Theon Greyjoy and she espeically didn't want to even consider Balon Greyjoy. She wanted to be able, just for a second, to forget all the pain that had struck her family. So she went a visited the one person she thought could at least make a joke out of something.

Jaime Lannister.

She didn't have a clue why of all people she'd chosen to see him but she couldn't be bothered to face her mother or her brother.

Eliana could hear the panting of her direwolf, smiling as Shadow kept to her injured side for support if she would need him. The guards eyed her suspiciously when she came to the stockades, still struggling to walk. None of them spoke, probably knowing she'd be tempted to hit them with the blunt edge of her sword if they so much as made a comment.

He didn't even sense her presence at first. No one had come to see him for a while, so he'd given up hoping to receive a visit from her. But then he heard her voice, it reached his ears like a musical note from a harp. He didn't dare look up though. He knew her beast was with her, that direwolf of hers. He could hear its panting and the grass crunching beneath its violent paws.

"Please don't tell me you expect me to believe that you're asleep."

First, he saw the crutch held closely to her side which confused him. Then, he spotted the direwolf standing on her other as if for support. Finally, he noticed her struggle in walking and then he realised. "You're hurt." He observed, his first words spoken to her in a few days and they pointed out the obvious which made her laugh.

Eliana glanced down her leg and sighed, "My mother's pet, Brienne of Tarth, attacked – well, it was more of me being stupid really. Her blade went straight through my leg." Her explanation was basic and simple, full of the truth.

Jaime tilted his head to look at her as she unlocked his pen and stepped inside. He was surprised she wasn't repulsed by the smell of shit but then he remembered she was one of the few women in the camp. "I suppose she's in chains if your Lady mother got her way." He anticipated, wanting to know what had become of her assailant.

She shook her head to his disbelief. "No, I forbade her to do so." Eliana specified with a smile on her face. "The woman is quite entertaining, especially when struggling to ask for forgiveness."

Jaime didn't answer; his attention was on her beast that had situated itself in between them. He heard laughter again and immediately shot her a hateful look. He watched as she sat herself down on the mud, levelling out her leg as she did so, and leaning against the pen wall. "How's the war coming along?"

Eliana grimaced, in fact her whole face contorted. "Funny you should say that..." She thought she'd escaped all the gossip of Theon Greyjoy's betrayal, but evidently not. "He swore an oath to my brother..."

Jaime stared at her, wondering what she was going on about at first, not understanding her words. He hated being in this pen, shut off from people and he hated not being able to watch her from his pen.

Eliana sensed his confusion and sighed before explaining. "We've just been betrayed by the kraken that was in our mists." Her voice was dull and emotionless, though there was hurt lurking behind her words.

Jaime frowned, "_Greyjoy?_" He had to be sure of what he was hearing, there was no way the boy would betray Robb Stark. He'd been Ned Stark's ward since the age of nine and now he'd returned home to Pyke to betray the cause.

"In truth, the war isn't going at all well..." Eliana admitted, knowing that they were heading nowhere in truth. She didn't want it to come to war and yet, here they were living in camps with thousands of troops. "I don't want to be in a battle. But waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse."

Jaime saw the want in her eyes; the want of returning to Winterfell, returning to her home. He could see the longing of her family enter her eyes, her family was everything to her and it was slipping through her fingers.

"Do you not ever want to not be at war?"

Jaime shrugged, uncertain. "Yes... I suppose." He agreed honestly, knowing he'd rather be at King's Landing than in this pen that stunk of shit. "All the time in fact but you see the realm would be a bore without the events of war, Lia." He noted dryly, knowing that was the only thing he was really good at.

"Good to know I'm not the only one... or..."

He smiled at her comment and stared at her. It was an innocent stare, one longer than necessary and definitely not need but Jaime couldn't bring himself to look away from her as the moonlight fell onto her face, illuminating her beauty for him to see.

She moved her face closer to stare at him, studying him with her eyes. "I cannot tell whether you're being genuine or just plain patronising..." She admitted while he laughed loudly.

"Lady Eliana." Eliana turned to see Brienne standing a few feet away from the pen. She looked weary and distant, and she knew she was still struggling to forgive herself. "You brother wishes your presence in his tent, Ser Alton has returned from King's Landing."

She nodded and silently climbed to her feet, keeping her leg straight. "Ser Jaime." Eliana's voice reached him as she exited the pen and the guard locked it shut after. "How are you fairing Brienne?" He heard her ask.

Despite being sat in his own shit, despite being her brother's prisoner Jaime didn't seem to really care... he was glad that he got the chance to converse with Eliana Stark. He was happy someone was taking him seriously and not calling him _Kingslayer_ for once. He liked Eliana, she was meant to be his foe but he liked her and a part of him thought he may have liked her even more than he cared to let on.

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><p>He narrowed his blue eyes at the small man. "And what did she say?" Robb questioned as Eliana entered the tent silently.<p>

Ser Alton shifted uncomfortably before him. "She admired your spirit, Your Grace." He let out quietly.

"And what then?"

Alton looked down briefly and bit the inside of his cheek. "She, uh..." He trailed off, still looking uncomfortable.

Robb sighed and looked to his War Council. "If every man were held accountable for the actions of every distant relative, Ser Alton, we'd all hang." Robb explained simply, giving him no other choice.

Alton nodded. "She tore the paper in half, Your Grace."

"You've acted with honor. I thank you for it." Robb told him honestly, looking to Rickard Karstark Robb then spoke to him. "Lord Karstark, see that Ser Alton's pen is clean. And give him a hot supper." He ordered the giant of a man.

Rickard Karstark tilted his head, annoyed that Robb was allowing a Lannister to be spared. Another one. "Ser Alton's pen is occupied, Your Grace. The prisoners from the Yellow Fork." He voice was hard and dull, it held no emotion to it as he referred to the Lannister in the tent. He hated them, and that was putting it nicely.

Bolton sighed sourly. "Too many prisoners." He commented dryly.

"Is there room for Ser Alton?"

"Does he need to lie down?" Karstark suggested with his usual gruff voice.

Eliana stepped forward then, allowing the burden to be lifted from her brother's shoulders. "Have the men build him a new pen." She commanded gently, sinking into a seat at the table, feeling the stinging sensation shoot through her leg.

Robb nodded, "Put him in with the Kingslayer for now." He agreed, looking at her thankfully. "Have your boy watch over them." He added softly.

"Torrhen."

A short boy strode forward and tugged on Alton's arm, pulling him out of the tent silently.

Robb sighed and nodded to the men gathered around. "That will be all." He concluded, looking to his sister again. "How's your leg, Lia?" He pressed, worried by the sound of his voice.

"It's a leg -" She was interrupted by the foreign accent of Talisa Maegyr.

Talisa was a mess to the eye, stained with blood. "Your Grace. _A minute of your time?_" Her voice was innocent but commanding, as thought she knew Robb would allow her what she wanted.

Robb saw the slight irritation on Eliana's face but put it down to the pain her leg was giving her. "Sorry Lia." Robb nodded to Eliana, who seemed more than reluctant to leave him along with this woman from Voltanis.

"No, it's absolutely fine..." She trailed off, moving towards the entrance as Bolton rushed out. "I'll just hobble away..."

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><p>In the stockades, Ser Alton had found some comfort in Ser Jaime Lannister which came as a gentle surprise to the young man. "Who did you say your mother was again?" Jaime asked, frowning at him.<p>

Alton returned his frown. "Cinda Lannister." He answered quickly.

"Is she the fat one?"

Alton hesitated and soon shrugged. "Well, perhaps she's gotten a little larger than she..." He began, trying to remember his mother's build.

"No, no." Jaime commented, shaking his head. "There's only one fat Lannister. If she was your mother, you'd know it." He finished as an awkward silence drifted over the pen.

"I... I squired for you once, you know?" Alton announced, creeping closer to Jaime from where he sat in the corner of the pen.

"When?" Jaime's brow deepened in thought.

"The tournament the day of Willem Frey's wedding." Alton answered.

Jaime scoffed in disbelief. "I went to Willem Frey's wedding?" He questioned, not even remembering the event let alone attending it.

"_You did._" Alton informed confidently. "Your squire had gotten so drunk the night before that he..."

He threw up on his horse on the way to the tourney grounds." Jaime continued easily enough as he began nodding slowly when the memories came flooding back. "What was his name?" He inquired absently, not expecting him to know.

"Bryan."

He laughed, "Poor lad." He sighed, looking to his shackled hands. "That was my brother's doing, I seem to recall... I remember you." Jaime's eyes fell on Alton again, zeroing on his face. "You had never squired for anyone before."

Alton's face lit up, creeping closer still. "That's right. I ran up and volunteered. _Let me, My Lord. Let_ _me._" He paused, the light disappearing from his face as soon as it had appeared._ "_My father was furious, afraid I'd embarrass our family in front of _the_ family." He concluded with a sad tone, replaying that entire day in his mind.

"You didn't, though."

Alton smiled. "You really remember?"

"Mm." Jaime nodded in agreement. "You knew when you were needed and when to go away. It's a rare talent." He commented tiredly, leaning against his post. "Most of my squires, they mean well, but young men with big jobs, they tend to overdo them."

Alton continued to move closer to Jaime. "Well, when I think back to that day..." He begun but was interrupted when Torrhen appeared and sent the pair of them a hiss of warning. When he'd vanished Alton looked shaken and worried.

Rolling his eyes, Jaime gestured for him to carry on. "You were saying?" He spoke, tilting his head in question.

"I..." He stopped himself, already humiliated. "Never mind. It's embarrassing." He concluded honestly, his eyes trailing to the murk swimming on the ground around him.

"More embarrassing than being chained to a post covered in your own shit?"

He then felt a surge of confidence and need. He felt wanted for once, and for once someone was listening to him. "I remember everything about that day... your helmet, your horse, the rake line in the dirt along the list, where the sun was in the sky when you knocked Balon Swann from his horse, and the dent in your shield when you handed it back to me." He rushed, leaving Jaime stuck at a loss for words to reply with, having not remembered that day as well. "I'll remember it all until I die."

There was a moment of silence before he started up again, eager to finish his tale. "That was the best day of my life." Alton vowed, staring off into nowhere as he told Jaime. "And I remember being on the field after it was over. All the competitors were done. I was the last one out there. And I couldn't leave." He paused, coming back to reality, feeling the bitterness rise within of him, realising how low he was compared to _Ser Jaime Lannister_. He was nothing compared to him. "_I couldn't bring myself_ _to go and sit with my family_ at a table so far on the edge of the feast you could barely even see the bride. And I couldn't bear to tell them what it had been like squiring for you when I knew that they could never have the faintest idea what I was talking about." His face had with fury, his eyes burning at the memories while a grotesque grimace pulled at his lips.

"I understand completely." Jaime added.

"How could you?" It came out more harshly than Alton had intended. "S-sorry, I... I didn't mean to doubt you. It's just that I..." He stuttered out, crawling ever closer.

Jaime sighed, turning to face him properly. "I was 16 once. I also had to replace someone's squire on short notice." He told the man.

Alton's brow picked up in intrigue. "Which knight was it?" He sounded like an excited child, the desperation filling his eyes at he listened and watched in wonder.

"Barristan Selmy." Jaime stated simply. "The fight against the Kingswood outlaws... before your time." He looked away, his mind somewhere else.

"What was he like?"

He sighed and shrugged. "He was a painter, a painter who only used red." They shared a smile at his words. "I couldn't imagine being able to fight like that, not back then... and to help him do that, to be a part of something that perfect... I don't need to explain how that felt, not to you." He told Alton truthfully, knowing he'd experienced his level probably when squiring for him.

"It's hard to put into words." He cut in, sitting forward on his knees.

"It's like stepping into a dream you've been dreaming for as long as you can remember and finding out that the dream is more real than your life." He said with such passion that he felt as pathetic as Alton. "Leaving that battlefield was like being dragged off to prison." He muttered the ending, feeling annoyed with himself.

But Alton didn't give in after that. "Did you squire for him again?" He pressed.

Jaime shook his head. "No. I didn't have your gift." He couldn't take a step without stepping on me. I was awful, a complete liability... until one of the outlaws decided to take on a 16-year-old squire. It's a good thing I am who I am." He chuckled to himself, both of them smiling again. "I'd have been useless at anything else. I'm not well-suited for imprisonment." He paused to see the look on Alton's face and chuckled once more. "Shocking, I know." His voice was barely audible now. "Some men are. Ned Stark... I imagine he made an excellent prisoner right up until the end." He pondered aloud, thinking about the quiet wolf. "But me, though... my life has left me uniquely unfit for constraint."

Alton glanced around the pen. "Have you thought about...?"

He scoffed, "Of course. Every day." He stated the obvious in reply to his stupid question.

"And?"

"Good prisoners breed good jailers, apparently." He paused, watching the guard pace around the pen slowly. "The Starks are very careful." Jaime added, looking to Alton slowly.

"I've seen you with the Stark girl, you both seem to get on rather well... perhaps if you?" Alton suggested with a nod of his head.

A smile crept onto Jaime face then. "She's... she and I, I think... we're in the same boat but she would never help me - us." He admitted, looking down feeling bashful all of a sudden.

Alton smiled to himself. "She's very beautiful." It was an innocent comment but Jaime didn't like the way he'd said it.

"I'm not blind, no women down south bare the look of a northern beauty... especially nothing like her." Jaime explained, not even sparing a moment to consider Cersei.

"I would wish for anything to lay with her for the night." Alton spoke, his voice laced with want and lust that it made Jaime feel sick to his stomach.

Jaime fell silent and shot daggers at Alton. The boy may be related to him but he didn't like the words leaving his mouth. "She wouldn't waste herself on you and you know that."

He nodded. "You're probably right." He realised how stupid he'd been, mentioned her to Jaime.

"I know I'm right..." Jaime stated arrogantly, narrowing his eyes at the man. "You've probably never even been with a woman before." He judged by the way he lusted after her.

"Aye, but she'll never be with you... she has eyes for Oberyn Martell only."

That hurt, to think that Viper had gotten something he hadn't and he couldn't bare it. Jaime had had enough of him now and decided to do what he'd been waiting for, his chance. "But there is a way, I think. It wasn't possible until now." He spoke carefully, drawing in Alton again as he creeped closer.

"What is it?" He hung on every word.

Jaime shrugged and sighed. "It's actually quite simple."

"Well, let me help you." Alton stared at him, waiting.

Jaime sighed, the man was an idiot and he didn't seem to care at all for his own life by the state of his eager to please. "You'll only have to do one thing." Jaime told him, staring him down.

They moved closer to each other, both glancing around cautiously. "Tell me." Alton asked, unable to withstand the tension any longer.

Jaime leaned to down to his ear and whispered. "You'll have to die." _  
><em>

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**

**Ezeiel**


	13. A Wolf's Duty

**A/N: It's this time of week again. Hello! In this chapter, Jaime's only causes more problems for Eliana and her family as he had to go and kill Alton and Torrhen. Eliana and Catelyn fall out and Catelyn decides she needs to get Sansa and Arya back.**

**Thanks for all the review guys, they're great! Thank you so much.**

**A Wolf's Duty**

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><p>"Lady Stark!" A shrewd voice sounded at the entrance of her tent, Catelyn turned and absently discarded her pen and ink to look at the man. She didn't recognise his face at all but he was a troop to her son and she would not turn him away.<p>

However, Brienne's hand thudded hard against his chest, forcing him back easily. She was definitely more weary now, since her run-in with Eliana she was going to be careful before she did something else she would regret. "No farther." Her voice was firm and she had no intention of allowing him past her. She would not fail Lady Catelyn again.

His dark eyes glowered at the giant in his way. "Keep your hands off me, woman." His tone was dangerous and bitter, clearly not happy being commanded by a woman such as Brienne.

But Brienne would not budge. She would not allow him to beat her. "Don't enter without an invitation, _man._" Brienne shot straight back at him, standing tall and strong as a fort.

He hesitated and soon sighed in defeat, knowing fully well he wouldn't succeed. "Forgive me. Lady Stark." He paused, waiting for her response.

Catelyn closed her eyes in annoyance and looked to him once more. All she wanted to do what finished her letter. "_What is it?" _She wondered, wanting to know if the issue desperately needed her attention but his next words definitely concluded her thoughts.

"You daughter requests your assistance... they caught the Kingslayer."

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><p>There were a large variety of shouts and threats sounding around her as she strode from her tent, picking up her trains while she caught sight of the mob ahead. The shouts for his death echoed loudly, enough to make her ears ring at the sharp tones. <em>Kill the fucking Kingslayer! Gut him! <em>She heard over and over. _Hang him! You'll die today... Justice for the Karstarks._

"Get back! _I_ want his head!" Came the wrath of Lord Rickard Karstark, gaunt and large, as he charged at Eliana who was stood between him and his vengeance.

Eliana frowned, not really knowing why she'd favoured Jaime's life... she really didn't. "Lord Karstark, you need to calm yourself." She reminded softly, seeing his sword clutched tightly in his hand. She knew she had to take control of the situation before it got out of hand and someone's blood was spilled. "Jaime is my brother's prisoner, _your King_, if you've quite forgotten." She paused, glaring when he tried to step around her. "You can't kill him. As much as you want to _you can't_... as much I want to kill Joffrey _I can't_."

Karstark slowly trotted towards her, standing very tall which worried her. She could see the anger flourishing in his eyes and radiating from his body and directly to the crowd gathered around them as they continued to call for Jaime's head. "Any man who stands between a father and his vengeance asks for death." He growled, baring his teeth.

"I am a woman." Eliana, however, stood her ground and didn't move. She wasn't going to allow him to bully her to get what he wanted. "And I'm afraid you will have to consider killing your liege Lord's daughter if you wish to get to Ser Jaime, Ser!" She threatened, warningly, fully aware that he would not dare harm the sister of his King - he didn't have the courage let alone the chance with the guards at her side.

"You'd rather allow him to pleasure you than take his head yourself, girl!"

All she saw was the lord's sword raised to her daughter and then Catelyn was pushing her way through the crowd, spotting Jaime Lannister, who was sat kneeling behind Eliana safely for the moment. Why _she _was stood in front of Jaime Lannister was beyond her, but she knew she was doing it for the girls.

She went to move forward when a hand yanked on her wrist, Eliana glanced to her side to see her mother had finally come to her aid as she struggled to keep the peace between their bannermen. But her mother had come a little too late for her liking. "Lord Karstark, this man is our prisoner." Catelyn consulted the man in front of her out of desperation to get through to him.

"This monster killed my son."

Catelyn shook her head and sighed. The Lannisters had harmed many that was true. "And crippled _mine_." She shot right back at him, filled with as much as pain as he held in his own heart. "He will answer for his crimes, _I promise you,_ _but not here._" Catelyn vowed, wanting nothing more than for Rickard to believe her.

Karstark stepped towards her then, "I will have his head. And if you try and stop me..." He begun, seeing Eliana's grip tightening on the hilt of her sword, clearly ready to use it if necessary.

"You will strike me down?" Catelyn exclaimed as an unwavering silence fell. Karstark looked shaken by her outburst but still as angered. "Have you forgotten me, Ser? _I am the widow of your_ _liege Lord Eddark Stark. _I am the mother of your king!" Catelyn ripped into the giant so easily that Eliana felt a hint of amusement rush within her at the man's silence.

It only lasted a couple of seconds though and then he was coming right back with another hasty and heated reply. "And where is our king now?" He spat bitterly, gripping his own sword tightly.

"You know very well." Eliana interrupted, annoyed with his continuous threats of murder since the deaths of his sons. "He has gone to the Crag to accept the surrender." She stated, staring at him in wonder. Eliana had always known that the Karstarks had been hot-tempered but never had she encountered one of his person before.

He nodded, glaring at the girl momentarily before allowing his gaze to settle on her mother, the main cause of his anger. "Aye, gone to the Crag, but not to negotiate. He brought that foreign bitch with him." His words didn't favour him in the slightest and he saw the fury rise in their eyes.

Catelyn's face contorted in vexation. "How dare you?" She hissed, glaring dangerously at him as everyone watched, not daring to speak as the tension gathered thickly.

Unleashed, Brienne drew her own sword. "Threatening My Lady is an act of treason." Eliana frowned in confusion at Brienne's accusation of Karstark. Yes, he was difficult but they needed his forces in this, they couldn't compromise their alliance with the family over something as petty as this.

"Treason?" Karstark cackled, glancing at Jaime. "How can it be treason to kill Lannisters?" He pondered darkly, wondering what had become of the Starks for them to resort to protecting Lannister scum.

Catelyn nodded in understanding of his grief. "I understand your grief, My Lord... better than most I understand it." She promised with her heart sat upon her sleeve, trying to persuade the man to reconsider his choice. "... But in the name of my son, the King in the North, stand down."

He looked reluctant to change his mind, but gave in sourly. "When your son returns, _I will demand_ _this murderer's head._" He vowed, determined to strike the head from the Lannister's shoulders. He would get his vengeance.

"Wise men do not make demands of kings."

"Fathers who _love_ their sons do." Karstark replied with absolute control. "I will have his head." He vowed more to himself rather than to Catelyn or Eliana. He looked to Jaime again before striding off towards the tents.

"Thank you for fighting on my behalf, Lady Stark. You too, Lia." Jaime called both Stark women to him, winking at Eliana when she caught his eye. "I would have come to your defense, but..." He gestured to his situation of being bound.

Catelyn merely glanced at Jaime, not seeming at all bothered. "Take him to the stockades. Bind him with every chain you can find!" She ordered, ignoring his pathetic choice of words delivered.

Jaime was pulled to his feet, bound with chains. "You've become a real she-wolf in your later years." He taunted smugly, knowing how easily it would be to taunt the widow. "There's not much fish left in you."

She turned away while Jaime was being dragged away. "And gag him!" Catelyn growled, looking to her daughter. Her anger was still lingering. "What were you thinking? Laying your life down for his?!"

Eliana sighed, looking down to the ground briefly and hesitating with her reply. "As you said, he is our prisoner..." She began honestly, understanding her annoyance. "If I allowed Rickard Kartsark to kill him, we would never get back Sansa."

Catelyn's eyes narrowed at her daughter when she only spoke of Sansa and not Arya. "And Arya." She added, wondering why she would leave her youngest daughter out.

"Mother, I haven't been strictly honest with you." Eliana told Catelyn, feeling her guilt rise within her. She looked to Brienne, tilting her head slightly and considering whether or not to speak with her listening. "Brienne, what I'm about to say must stay between you, my mother and I."

The sworn sword frowned but nodded nonetheless, willing to obey. "I swear to you, Eliana... your truth will not leave my lips." She vowed, curtly bowing her head.

"What is it, Lia?" Catelyn stepped towards her, her eyes lacing with concern and betrayal, now knowing that her daughter had lain to her of something concerning Arya.

Eliana bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. "When father was taken to the Sept of Baelor, he and I had previously decided that both of the girls would need to be taken to safety. With Sansa in the Queen's grasp we would have never been able to smuggle her out of King's Landing with myself without being seen." She paused, shaking her head. She felt so pathetic and disappointed with herself. "I saw Arya, she could see such a thing... Yoren, a man of the Night's Watch was with me and I sent him to seek her out and take her safety."

Catelyn slowly began to piece things together, confusion and irritation infecting her suddenly. "Arya's not there?!" Her voice rose very quickly, echoing through the air. "You've sent her away with this stranger, my daughter! Your sister!" She raged on.

"I sent her to the Wall because of Jon, Jon is there!" Eliana argued, knowing that Jon loved Arya. "He will keep her safe."

Catelyn glowered at her. "I will not have her alone with that bastard." She rasped out.

"How can you be so cruel and barbaric?" She spat, losing control of any clarity she had. "Jon had never had a mother and still, you could never bring yourself to love him even when he came down with the pox! You couldn't bypass that father had a bastard. Jon has never harmed you in any way and yet you went out of your way to make him an outcast for being motherless!"

Catelyn fell silent, she didn't speak because she was right.

Eliana shared a look with Brienne and closed her eyes, feeling nothing but self-loathing although she didn't regret sticking up for Jon. "Send me, my lady." Brienne protested, stepping forward, wanting to shift the blame from Eliana. "I will find your daughter and bring her to you."

"No, Brienne." Eliana warned, not wanting her to take the fall for what she should be doing. "Mother, send me on my way and I will find Arya and bring her back to you." She vowed, although her voice was strained of emotion. "And once they are safe, I will leave."

Catelyn's eyes had turned cold, full of betrayal now and it hurt her. It hurt to think her daughter was all alone in the wild with a bunch of strangers, all alone... why would she do that to her? _Why would Lia consider choose to do that... _She said nothing more, turning swiftly and walking away from her as she knelt in the mud.

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><p>Catelyn paused in her walking, to see the banners it uproar of the Kingslayer's life. It worried her, knowing he wouldn't last the night. They would rise against her and shed more blood. She couldn't seem to shift her mind from her daughter's words, they had embedded themselves into her minds and she felt awful. Eliana had been right; she was cruel to Jon.<p>

Brienne saw the look of thought on her face. "Your son returns at dawn, My Lady?" Brienne pressed, looking positively convinced at least one would try to kill him given the chance.

Catelyn nodded absently, still in thought. "So they say."

Brienne sighed, "_The Kingslayer_ _won't last the night_." She noted dully, watching as the banners fought with each other._ "_The more they drink, the angrier they'll get_. _And when the Karstarks draw their swords... _who wants to die_ _defending a Lannister?_" She questioned, knowing that no one would want to die defending one of them. No one.

Catelyn to Brienne and nodded again, regaining her train of thought. "Come." She spoke, leading her towards the stockades. She could the guards stood on duty outside his pen, she needed to get to him before the Karstarks did and she knew it would be long. When they arrived at the pen, Catelyn looked directly past the guards and her eyes landed on Jaime. "I need to be alone with him." She informed the guard nearer to her quickly, moving to go into the pen and feeling his presence follow behind her.

He shook his head, refusing to leave. "My Lady, our orders..." He started to reply but couldn't finish because she interrupted him, feeling her irritation getting to better of her.

She'd had enough of being disobeyed by those who swore to obey. "Your orders, which I just gave you, are to leave me alone with him." She concluded, looking him dead in the eye and leaving him unnerved.

Jaime rose his head and smiled darkly. "Come to say goodbye, Lady Stark?" He questioned, trying to get under her skin. "I believe it's my last night in this world... is that a woman?" Jaime frowned as his eyes trailed to the beast stood outside his pen and he knew that was who must have attacked Eliana.

At his insult, Brienne crept into the pen and took up place behind Catelyn, her hand sitting on her hilt.

Catelyn didn't seem to notice her standing there, she didn't move. She kept her eyes trained on the man in front of her. "Do you hear them out there? They want your head." She informed him with a monotonous voice.

He sighed, shrugging. "Well, old Lord Karstark doesn't seem to like me." He noted simply.

"You strangled his son with your chains."

Although he didn't really care that he killed on of his sons, he understood the man's anger towards him. It was only right. "Oh, oh. Was he the one on guard duty?" He sighed again, resting his head against the post at his back. "He was in my way. Any Knight would have done the same."

"You are no Knight." Catelyn convicted Jaime. "You have forsaken every vow you ever took." Her voice as turned as hard stone as he drifted to his ears, unwavering and unflinching.

"So many vows. They make you swear and swear." Jaime added. "_Defend the king,_ _obey the king,_ _obey your father,_ protect the innocent, defend the weak." He paused, looking down to avoid the harshness of her eyes, knowing she was judging him. "But what if your father despises the king? What if the king massacres the innocent? It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or another." He deduced dryly, his gaze falling on Brienne once more. "Where did you find this beast?"

As he chuckled, Catelyn edged closer to him. "She is a truer Knight than you will ever be, Kingslayer." Catelyn spoke quietly, her voice losing all its anger as she watched the man before her.

"Kingslayer." Jaime mused to himself. "What a king he was. _Here's to Aerys Targaryen,_ _the second of his name, _Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the realm, and to the sword I shoved in his back." He said, hold her gaze this time.

"You are a man without honor." Catelyn proclaimed.

Jaime smiled at those words and nodded. "Do you know I've never been with any woman but Cersei?" He appraised with amusement. "So in my own way, I have more honor than poor old dead Ned." At the words her face changed, and he knew, Jaime knew he gotten to her. "What was the name of that bastard he fathered?"

"Brienne."

Jaime shook his head, frowning. "No, that wasn't it." He confirmed, his brow tightening as he thought. "Snow, a bastard from the North. Now, when... when good old Ned came home with some whore's baby, did you pretend to love it?" He inquired, tilting his head at her as he saw her face twist with fury. "_No. You're not very good_ _at pretending. __You're an honest woman. _You hated that boy, didn't you?" Jaime growled with loathe, secretly pleased with himself. "_How could you not_ _hate him? __The walking,_ _talking reminder_ that the honorable Lord Eddark Stark fucked another woman."

Catelyn's hand flew to her side, her palm upright. "Your sword." She ordered Brienne yet her eyes did still not move from his face. "Find my daughter, and bring her to me."

A smile broke out onto Jaime's face.

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><p>She was skulking around in the night, not knowing what to do with herself. She felt as low as could be, the guilt was eating her alive. She should've told them all the truth straight away and then she wouldn't be in this mess, she didn't want to worry them. She was digging her own grave. "Eliana!" She turned sharply, seeing Brienne charging towards her with red cheeks indicating that she'd been running. "Your mother wishes to see you, quickly."<p>

Eliana narrowed her eyes at the woman, "Why?" She wasn't sure if this was some trick to make her feel even worse than she already did. She had to be sure. "What does she want me for?"

Brienne shrugged, "She never said specifically, but it's of importance." She explained as Eliana willingly followed her along.

Her leg cried out as she made the trek to the stockades, forgetting the distance from near her tent to there. Her eyebrows perked up when she saw her mother holding Brienne's sword towards Jaime when they approached the stockades. Her mother was certainly on the war path today, but she was still cautious about why she was needed.

Brienne moved ahead and entered the pen, Catelyn looked to her. "My Lady, your daughter as you requested."

"Brienne." Catelyn passed the sword back to its owner and exited the pen to see Eliana standing away from the pen, pacing slowly.

She saw her mother walking towards her and her eyes immediately flew to the ground and that was where they stayed. "Brienne said it was important that you see me..." She didn't bother to look up, knowing in those blue eyes there would only be hate and betrayal.

Catelyn sighed and nodded. "Lia, look at me." She commanded, her voice hoarse and low. Slowly, her daughter's eyes met hers and she saw the tears swimming around, threatening to fall. "I need you to do something."

"Which is?" She dared to ask.

Catelyn glanced back at Jaime to see him watching them, well, he was watching her daughter. "You will escort him to King's Landing... you will trade him for Sansa and then you will return her to me." She turned back to face her, seeing the look of disapproval lacing her features as she slowly processed what was being expected of her. "After she is safely with me, then you will ride as far as North goes until you find Arya."

_Exile_. She immediately thought. _She's exiling me... _she shook her head, allowing the tears to fall from her eyes. "No... is this my punishment?" Eliana mumbled to herself, not believing what she was truly hearing. "Is this your way of exiling me? Because I lied to you?"

Catelyn closed her eyes and bit her lip. She didn't know how to answer, yes it was but... "Lia, this is not exile." Catelyn went to touch her but Eliana stepped away from her.

Eliana let out a laugh, "You send me back down South, they will take my head just like they did father's and send it to you." She replied, petulant. _Why can't she send Brienne? _"I know how the game is played down South, and it is not a fair game... Brienne is most suited to this task than I will ever be."

"I'm not asking Brienne." Catelyn spoke, staring at her. She knew what she was feeling, unwanted, unloved... useless. The list could go on. "I'm asking you... you wanted a duty, here it is."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review.**

**Ezeiel**


	14. On the Road Again

**A/N: Hello again, lovely people. In this chapter, Eliana and Jaime begin their journey South, they talk and slowly learn more about each other and Jaime gets licked. (You'll understand once you've read it, trust me.) Robb finds out about Catelyn's betrayal and isn't too pleased.**

**Please read and review, thank you, you lovely people!**

**On the Road Again...**

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><p>Jaime slouched into the rickety boat carrying him down river. <em>Partly <em>slouched because it was more comfortable, but mostly because he wanted his lazy posture to be in direct counterpoint of Eliana's upright figure as she paddled along. He didn't know if it was his naturally mischievous nature combined with his sheer and utter boredom, but he longed to see her crumble if it was in his power to make it happen.

And considering who he was, he thought more or less, everything was within his power to make happen.

Jaime sighed, "Say something, Eliana Stark." He pressed, in an overly dramatic fashion. He liked calling her by her name, he liked watching her react to it; the frustrated and petulant faces she pulled unknowingly. He would diverse her a new nickname though, _Beauty of the North _lacked imagination as far as he was concerned.

"What do you want to hear?" She replied, thickly.

"Are you offering to sing for me?" Jaime tilted his head and smiled. "Are you taking requests? What are my favourite... I am partial to a few love ballads, lovely Lia. Do you know any love ballads?"

She caught his eye and narrowed her eyes at his own. "I am not going to sing for you."

"Please." He taunted, smiling still. "I bet you know them all, have them all memorised. I bet you sat by your window as a girl, watching the men and the boys in the courtyard, playing at fighting -"

She interrupted him, "If I recall, I know how to use this..." She gestured to her waist where sat her sword, and Jaime knew she wouldn't hesitate to use it on him. "I refused to sing, I detested sowing... _gods_, complete waste of time but my Septa wouldn't hear of it until I ran to my father."

Jaime chuckled, "Ah, yes. You weren't one for needlework, but now you have a needle of your own." He eyed the sword, and sighed. His eyes trailed to her face and he saw the look she was giving him. "What?" He raised his eyebrows. "It's not exactly a needle..."

"Good to know you aren't blind, Ser."

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><p>"You know..." Jaime begun as the boat hit the bank's edge roughly, jolting the pair of them. "You don't have to keep me tied up, do you?"<p>

Eliana rolled her eyes, "You're whining."

"Why not?" He sighed. "I'll only make it more awkward for you."

Eliana helped him out of the boat carefully, and he stumbled, which she gathered was for dramatic effect. He regained his balance, shaking the long hair free from his eyes and staring at her.

They had travelled far down the river that day, well into the long evening ahead as the sun set upon the water turning it black and lifeless. The dark was infecting the brush around them, climbing as high as trees. Eliana didn't care much for comfort since she would receive none in carrying out this task lain before, so making camp for the night was quick and rather simple. However before she carried out her preparations, she went to tie Jaime to a tree to ensure he did not disappear.

"Wait... you honestly think I will run?" He asked with an exasperated sigh of disbelief. "And even if I did, I'm fairly certain you would catch me with those legs of yours..."

She left him tied, and moved about the camping spot which was just a few yards away from the riverbank, to collect firewood. The air was humid and warm; it wouldn't be cold that night but Eliana didn't enjoy the darkness, fire would be her company. Once the fire was burning, she straightened and nodded.

"Am I to be tied to a tree all night?" He inquired rather politely which got him a small smile from her.

Eliana set aside the stick she had been using to tame the flames, looking to his spot at the tree. "Not if you behave decently."

"Decently," He repeated, nodding like a mad man, almost as if he didn't understand the word but she knew he did. But Jaime did love to wind her up but he prefered his own comfort than that. "I cannot guarantee that I'm afraid."

She sighed and nodded. "That's enough." She moved behind him and cut his bonds easily. His hands were still bound and Jaime was not happy. She rolled her eyes when he held his wrists in front of her face, waving them over-dramatically. She studied him for a moment and moved to slash the bonds, letting his hands free.

Jaime smiled in reply and then went to warm himself by the glowing fire. The light flickered against his form, illuminated his face. She watched him and couldn't help but admit his handsomeness, there was no denying it and it pained her to even think it. She would be glad when she had done her duty and delivered him to King's Landing.

"You're staring." Jaime observed quietly, throwing her another smile of his. "I know I'm a handsome devil, you've no need to remind me."

"Sit." Eliana rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "Do you want to eat or not?"

Jaime immediately sunk down onto the log, nodding. "Good... I am ravenous." He asserted, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "What have you prepared, lovely Lia?"

Without even bothering with a reply to his question, she rooted through her pack of supplies until she stumbled upon the bread and unwrapped it. She sighed and broke of a chunk and passed it to him.

"You'll have to feed me," Jaime claimed, grinning to himself. "I'm afraid you tied my hands too tightly."

Eliana closed her, she didn't want to be doing with this game. "If you can't manage I will take it back." She went to take the bread back but his hands enclosed around it, shielding it from her grasp. "I thought as much..." She returned to her spot opposite him on the log and began to eat her own chunk, which she had ensured what the same size as his and even lifted it to show him when he curiously glanced over.

Darkness began to surround them the forest silent except for the faint whispers of the tree's souls. Eliana had settled with her back against the fallen log and her knees up and pressed tightly against her chest, her sword at hand as she started to wait out the night. She reached forward and slid another thick chunk of the firewood into the fire from the small stack she had collected and piled at arm's-length. Sparks flew and danced away into the night, she watched them disappear.

Jaime cast his gaze upon her and sighed. "What are you thinking?" He asked.

She took a moment, an unsettling pause swept across, looking to him and shrugging. "Everything." She knew her answer made no sense, but honestly, she didn't care in the slightest.

Jaime chuckled. "Define everything." He added, knowing that _everything _wasn't much to go on.

He could the flames dances reflecting from her eyes into his. He saw the tears gather, drowning those Tully eyes of hers. "My father... his death. My mother and Robb..." She paused, composing herself, frightened she would let everything go. She didn't want to give him that power and she wouldn't. "Bran and little Rickon, Arya and Sansa..." She was smiling, and he knew she replaying happy, content memories in her mind. "_And Jon_, Jon I seem to miss the most... I haven't seen him in so long."

Jaime stayed silent, not saying anything, already knowing that the bastard was loved by the Stark children. He'd met him and he remembered he hadn't been particularly nice to the boy. "Just think when you've rid yourself of my wonderful company, you'll have your sisters back." He tried to lighten her mood but he failed.

"Arya isn't in King's Landing."

His smile fell as soon as it had appeared. "What do you mean _Arya's not in King's Landing_?" He inquired, worried, now knowing that Sansa was all alone in King's Landing with his sister.

Eliana sat up and turned to look at Jaime. "Why do you think she sent me, Jaime?" She waited for him to reply but as he went to open his mouth she continued. "My mother wants me to get my sisters back; Sansa is in King's Landing, and Arya is somewhere North... I am not to return until I have returned them both to her. It's my punishment."

"But you may not find Arya again." He accused.

Eliana's eyes snapped to him. "I will find her, even I die doing so... I won't fail my mother again."

He looked to the sky and closed his eyes, savouring the moment. "I suppose you're going to re-tie me, aren't you?" He assumed, holding out his wrists to her.

"No." His eyes opened.

"_No_?" He laughed in surprise. "Now, that I did not expect."

Eliana nodded in understanding. "You need to learn to not make assumptions my friend, but you have to promise to not leave in the night..."

Jaime contemplated his choice, either he could be free or tied up. _But she would find me, she knows forests... probably knows the Wolfswood off by heart. I can't leave when she has this to do. _"I have no intention of leaving you, Lia. I enjoy your company."

Through the brush, twigs creaked and snapped followed by a low growl through the darkness and the fear ran back to him when his eyes darted around the area, trying to find the source of his fear. Jaime's eyes darted to Eliana, seeing that she didn't look remotely bothered by the noises. "Lia?" He whispered, failing to get her attention while she continued to stare into the flames.

_Wolves... _he immediately thought. He knew they could pad around on leaves at night, and not make a sound but he then thought that the noises had been made to scare him and partly as warning for if he escaped he would be found. They could be as silent as death itself, stalking its prey... and Jaime knew if he ran he would be the prey. He wouldn't even known anything was happening until he'd feel the sharpness of claws on him, sinking into his skin.

Out of sheer panic, knowing he had no weapon, Jaime scrambled forward and took Elaina's sword into his hands and held it forward.

That caught her attention then, her brow lowered deeply. "Jaime, what are you doing?" She climbed to her feet, moving to his side. The man was crazy when it came to noises and growling but it was amusing to watch. She stepped in front of him and went to grab the sword but he moved it away.

He refused to move away until he discovered what it was. "There is something in the brush!" He insisted, trying to force his way past her to see. He would not give in until he knew.

Eliana got the message and sighed. She whistled. Those bright blue eyes appeared, glowering dangerously at Jaime, slowly moving to Eliana's side. The narrowed and glowing orbs in the dark did not move from Jaime. If looks could kill, Jaime knew he would be dead.

He felt stupid, so stupid. "Oh..." He trailed off, seeing her friendly beast padding towards them slowly, its muzzle touching her hand in a quickly handed her sword back to her and moved away from the both of them, not want to be near the beast.

Unable to help herself, Eliana began to laugh. A man acting skittish over a wolf, it was ridiculous. "Hold out your hand." She looked to him, seeing the reluctance in his gaze as he watched the beast.

His hand was shaking as it reached forward, trembling with fear. One bite and he would have no hand, never use a sword again. He shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the sharp bite but it didn't come. Instead, his fingers brush its soft muzzle. He could hear it smelling him, taking in his scent and slowly he peaked through and saw that the beast hadn't bit him and he still had his hand. What happened next made Jaime erupt with laughter.

It licked him.

* * *

><p>She heard him enter the tent but she refused to turn her head to meet that cold gaze he would be wearing; her own son hated her. "Tell me this isn't true." She cringed at his words, they were harsh and stern, she knew he was beyond the point of being angry with her. "Why?"<p>

Slowly, Catelyn turned to face Robb, holding her head high and feeling determined as to not let his words get the better of her. "For the girls." She replied, holding his gaze with all she had.

"You betrayed me." Robb insisted, glaring at his mother. He was more than furious, he was disappointed. He thought she understand him but obviously he was wrong. He was in shock mostly, not believing what he'd been told but what made it worse was that she'd sent his sister to escort the Kingslayer!

"Robb..."

But he wouldn't hear of it. "No!" He boomed, clenching his fists in frustration. "You knew I would not allow it and you did it anyway." Robb stepped toward her, wanting to realise the pathetic mistake she'd made.

Catelyn sighed, feeling the humiliation taking over her. She knew she'd been stupid but she wanted her family back. "Bran and Rickon are captives in Winterfell. Sansa and Arya are captives in King's Landing." She explained, staring up at him, wanting him to believe the purpose behind her choice, wanting him to believe she was trying to help. "I have six children, and only two of them are free."

Robb scoffed, she need to be told straight. "They will kill Lia if they get there! Or worse, they will take her captive... all because of you."

Rickard Karstark moved forward, his eyes as hard as ice. "I lost one son fighting by your son's side. I lost another to the Kingslayer, strangled with a chain. You commit treason because your children are prisoners?" He paused, wanting to see if she would interrupt him _this _time. She didn't and then he knew she was listening to him, for once. "I would carve out my heart and offer it to the father if he would let my sons wake from their graves and step into a prison cell..." He spoke, pained by the death's of his boys.

Catelyn nodded, "I grieve for your sons, My Lord -" She told the gaunt man before her.

Karstark spat in disgust. "I don't want your grief! I want my vengeance... and you stole it from me." His hand fell on the hilt of his sword, gripping it tightly, wanting to carry out what he wanted more than anything; vengeance for his sons.

Catelyn peered up at him hopelessly. "Killing Jaime Lannister would not buy life for your children, but returning him to King's Landing may buy life for mine." She admitted as her eyes went to Robb, realising how stupid she had been in trusting the Kingslayer, but she knew her daughter would keep him in check and she would not let her down again.

Robb let out a breathless laugh, _how stupid could she be?, _he thought to himself, really thinking she had more sense than that. "Jaime Lannister has played you for a fool. You've weakened our position. You've put my sister's life in danger. You've brought discord into our camp. And you did it all behind my back." His tone was monotonous and held no emotion as he spoke, watching her plainly. Make sure she's guarded day and night.

"Robb." Catelyn flew to her feet, desperate to make him listen to her, make him hear her reasons behind her choices. But he ignored her and turned to the guards stood at the entrance of the tent.

He closed his eyes, "How many men did we send in pursuit of the Kingslayer?" _And my sister..._ he wanted to add but chose to ignore that part, he couldn't believe she'd betrayed him for their mother. They were in this together and now she was gone.

"Forty, Your Grace."

Robb nodded slowly, "Send another forty with our fastest horses." He ordered, charging off with Karstark nipping at his heels.

"Robb." Catelyn went to chase after him but the guards at her tent stopped her from escaping. She sunk back into her seat and cradled her hands to her chest,Eliana was her last hope...

* * *

><p>Another day of river travel passed when Jaime had eyed a weak spot along his side of the boat where the wood was damp with rot and mould. Eliana hadn't appear to have seen it and so Jaime was more careful as to keep it secret from her, resting his leg near the space which covered the area in shadow. He would have to wait for the river to widen before he could attempt his escape plan. Eliana tended to keep the boat hugging into the bank closest to the roadside where they had the cover of the trees and brush while her beast ran beside them on land. But one morning, they came across a rocky stretch and so she had to guide the boat further to the middle.<p>

If his plan failed, he would surely look the fool - although this didn't seem stupid enough to stop him - and if it worked too well they could both be dead before even getting a chance at negotiation.

But he decided it was better than doing nothing. When he saw Eliana was distracted by the sun which was blinding her momentarily, he saw his chance and brought his boot heel down against the rotting wood. The wood fractured and soon enough, water began gurgling through at a rapid pace.

Her eyes fell upon the damage and then rose to meet his eyes.

He smiled.

Eliana looked to her paddle but sighed, knowing that she wouldn't make it. "You won't make it," He called out to her, chuckling. "And I won't go down."

"Then I'll make you."

Jaime's eyes widened slightly, "You're mad if you think I will let you." He informed her, move to leap from the boat.

"One of us has to be." She called, catching him by the leg and dragging him back down.

He laughed and nodded, holding his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right." He said cheerfully, leaning forward. "Once we get ashore, let us battle it out... it will decide whether if I stay your prisoner or not. Sound fair, eh?"

Eliana whistled and Shadow appeared at the bank and Jaime knew he now had no chance of bailing like he planned. By now, they were ankle-deep in river water thanks to Jaime's stupid decision. Seeing his chance, Jaime leapt for the bank and hauled the sinking boat, then extended a hand to Eliana. For a moment, she just sat there and stared at him.

_Hurry up, woman! _He wanted to shout at her, _I want to fight you again..._

After a few more moments, Eliana grasped his forearm and pulled her forwards, and out of the boat. He had to brace himself thought, forgetting the woman was virtually a wall of muscle and with her leather armour, it didn't make it much easier for him. However, in a split-second with his other hand, he divested her of her sword.

Jaime might have even felt sorry for her in that moment if he hadn't been in such a selfish mood. Her face was blank but it could see the irritation beneath it. _At least she isn't crying... _that he was thankful for. He detested soggy eyed wenches and bawled and bawled, and it did nothing to soften his heart.

"Let's go... road now." He was pissed with the boat travel, he preferred the road and that's the way it would stay as far as he was concerned.

"You might be recognised."

"I'll worry about that," Jaime stated, "Now, move."

She did; slowly at first but her pace increased quickly when he resorted to whacking the back of her legs.

They headed up the bank and through a cluster of trees and towards the road visible in the distance. It was warm and the road was thankfully, deserted.

Eliana trudged along while Jaime sauntered behind her, eyeing the wolf that padded along with them. "I would like my sword back." She reminded him after walking for a while in silence.

"Patience," Jaime calmed her, "It will be returned to you once I have one of my own, lovely Lia."

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

Jaime shrugged, "Believe it or not, I do not care." He sighed, knowing that that wasn't enough for her to hear. "I never lie when the truth will serve, Eliana."

"You just love to hear yourself talk."

Jaime smiled, "I'll admit it is one the things I can do _very _well at." In the distance, he spotted and approaching rider and smiled even more. As the rider galloped towards them, Jaime raised the sword and the rider immediately slowed. Jaime stepped in sharply, enough for the horse to bolt up in fright. He caught a strong grasp of the bridle and inspected the rider. His eyes then landed on what he was looking for._  
><em>

A sword.

"Get down." He ordered, levelling Eliana's sword.

The man complied, sliding down quickly.

"I am terribly sorry, but I'm in need of your sword." Jaime informed him with a small smile.

"Fuck off." The man replied.

Jaime let out a soft sigh and nodded. In one swift movement, he slashed the man's throat out of spite, then shoved the point of the sword deep into his stomach for good measure. The man splurged blood and fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry." Jaime apologised, reaching for the weapon sat at his waist and using his foot to kick the body to the ground. He then examined the sword and smiled again, it was able enough steel. He then also helped himself to the man's scabbard, pulling it around his waist and adjusting the size so it fat snugly.

Eliana watched in disapproval.

The horse, meanwhile, danced and neighed around at the mere sight of Shadow.

Jaime's eyes fell on the horse. "You'll have to walk, although it seems a hardy animal but I don't think it could carry the both of us." He noted, dryly, wanting her to bite.

"I have no intention of riding with you."

The horse, however, declined both options, neighed and promptly ran off, the haste created a thick dust cloud.

"Would you look at that, ill-tempered just like its owner." Jaime commented. "Well, now you shall have your trial, lovely Lia!"

She nodded.

They walked to where the land rose into a slight hill, shielding them from the view of the road, and down the other side. It would serve perfectly for a quick melee.

She turned and faced him. Her face was set and hard.

He tossed her sword to the ground, hoping to anger her and from he flash in her eyes, he knew he'd been successful. She stooped and picked up the weapon, turning sideways and circling towards him.

And then they engaged.

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and review!**

**Ezeiel**


	15. Frenemies

**A/N: Hello again, lovely people! This is chapter fourteen? I have no idea but it's going _very_ fast! In this one, Jaime and Lia are continuing South and aren't quite best friends so I think the title serves brilliantly. Elsewhere, Robb reaches Harrenhal and meets a friend. Thank you for all the review, they're truly wonderful to read, knowing that you're loving the story.**

**Please read and review!**

**Frenemies**

* * *

><p>He was expecting her to be good, because she wouldn't have become what she was, and personally he didn't want it to be a lie. He was ready for that. However, he wasn't prepared for her to be that good. She was as good as most men.<p>

Eliana's sword missed his shoulders by mere inches.

_Better _than most men.

As they continued, he realised he might have to reconsider his plan of how long this would take to finish. She wasn't going to let him win; she was completely committed, and that meant he had to be, too.

"Let me know when you've had enough, lovely Lia." He said when he wasn't gritting his teeth.

She came at him again.

He was mostly defending while she attacked. He thought at this point, it was good to keep her angry. And there was nothing wrong with starting a fight angry, but if you stayed angry, you would tire quickly. He was confused when she wasn't tiring within minutes, considering she was the one in armour, _leather armour which is not metal but just as protective_, he thought to himself.

_She really is a beast, _he thought, but not without admiration for Eliana.

After a while, Eliana began to tire.

Steel clashed with steel again and then Jaime moved in, ready to finish it.

As it continued, Eliana began to tire. It was bound to happen though, engaging in such intense lengthy combat with a single opponent as skilled as Jaime. It was not open space where she could swing and use the full strength and ability of her limbs to her advantage, and Jaime was pushing in closer, forcing her to work in tighter circles which she did not approve of.

Her mind was working just as hard, leaping two steps ahead of her feet, trying to out-guess him.

She moved swiftly, although her balance was compromised due to her ill leg. It wouldn't be enough for an average opponent to notice, to take advantage, but this was Jaime Lannister, the _Kingslayer_.

He slipped through her window of defense and shoving, he wound his leg around hers and tripped her.

And Eliana knew she was done, he taken out the leg Brienne had seized.

Jaime was atop her in a second, knees on either side of his stomach. "Yield." One of his hands held hers in place while the other was casually for her throat, probing gently.

However, he'd made a mistake, because her other arm despite being partly pinned the ground, was still uncommitted.

With all the strength she could muster, she used her fingers to work the small dagger strapped to her outer thigh loose. However, when she went to move the small blade towards him she realised she had thought wrongly about Jaime; he'd known. Silently, he caught her wrist and forced it back on itself. Eliana flinched when she felt the bones slide together in an abnormal manner as the dagger came back towards her. Quickly, she shoved it away using all the remaining strength that lurked in her forearm but the force of her own action, forced the blade down upon her cheekbone.

The dagger was thrown.

The were both still for a moment, surprise freezing them. Jaime's weight, centered on her waist, shifted back as he straightened and slowly rose to his feet. Eliana was well aware of the blood running down her neck as it leaked from her supple cheek, down and along her jawbone. She was staring at the sky, watching the clouds float by.

Jaime glanced down at her, frowning gently. "I fairly certain that your mother _didn't_ wish for you to slaughter me, did she?" He asked quietly, knowing she wouldn't be listening to him.

But she laid motionless on the ground, having no intention of moving to degrade herself even more if she attempted to struggle to her feet. She wanted to punch him him. Hard and in the mouth just to shut him up. But she felt too weak, her leg hurt too much and now her cheek had gone numb and she could feel the stinging sensation drifting across her face.

"Get up, Lia." Jaime sighed, collecting both swords, sheathing one while tucking her dagger in his boots and then moving to grab her arms. "I'm not going to allow you to just lie there and bleed..."

Jaime sat her up by force, and watched as she fumbled around in her leathers. Her head was ringing, gritting her teeth from the pain in her head as she wiped some of the crimson mess away absently. She winced.

He knelt, looking at her and then came closer. He reached for her jaw, wanting to inspect the damage. Eliana turned her cheek away from his view which cause him to chuckle. "Let me see, Lia." He asked softly but that authoritative tone lingered somewhere in his voice.

"It's nothing."

"_I_ will be the one to decide whether it is _nothing_ or not. Now, let me see." He commanded, his fingers tightening on her chin. Cautiously, she let him turn her head.

His emerald eyes narrowed, "Mm...it doesn't look deep." He noted, tilting his head. "It will probably scar though, so your looks will be tarnished slightly to all the men of Westeros's disapproval."

"You're not amusing, Jaime." She growled through gritted teeth.

Jaime shrugged. "And you are just upset you were beaten _again_." He paused, watching in amusement as she glared at him. "Come, we should be leaving, we are both due to arrive at King's Landing. I can't have you wandering the countryside."

For the second time on their journey, Eliana took his outstretched arm and let him haul her to her feet. She wished there was another alternative for her, but seeing as though Jaime was more than willing to offer her aid, she took the offer.

* * *

><p>When darkness had struck that night, they'd travelled a considerable distance. The sun had been muted by the clouds and the air smelt of rain which lead them to believe there would be bad weather the following morning.<p>

Jaime had decided a nice spot near the river would suffice, and almost immediately upon hearing they were stopping, Eliana sunk to the ground of the bank and didn't seem to care that it was swamped with mud. He stared at her and concluded that she looked far too worn to go any further that night.

He made a fire out of the firewood he'd shoved into her supply pack, although he was slightly worried that it would be last fire if rain was coming. Eliana was slumped near it, staring off into its flames.

"If you're going to tie me, just get it over with." She rumbled after a brief silence.

Jaime smiled, "Would you like that, little wolf?"

"Don't call me that."

He was slightly taken aback by the ferocity of her reply, he didn't know what was wrong with the nickname. He decided it was best to ignore it and continue. "Possibly, later... just so you don't strangle me in my sleep."

She rolled her eyes. "I have no intention of strangling you." She assured him quietly, meeting his gaze. "You were right, my mother wouldn't have been particularly happy if I had."

"I'm glad you agreement that it's better if I'm alive." Jaime moved to where the water was lapping the stones, knelt and wet a part of his cloak. He came to Eliana and crouched in front of her.

"You're going to need to hold still."

She recoiled when the soggy material touched her face.

"_I_ said hold _still_." He commanded, cleaning some of the dried blood off before he examined the wound. It was most definitely leave a scar, that had been as clear as when the blade had cut her skin. He felt a sudden wave of guilt, he hadn't meant to permanently mark but it couldn't be helped. She'd tried to stab him in the chest. And Eliana didn't expect to be treated any differently.

If she wished to fight with men, she had to be prepared for the repercussions that came with it.

He returned to the water's edge and rinsed out his cloak.

Eliana leant back against an eroded trunk and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and evened out. It wasn't long before she found herself dreaming of the past.

_She hummed when his lips grazed the shell of her ear, biting gently before trailing to her jaw line and gliding down her neck, nipping. She only smiled more when his hands grasped her hips tightly, pulling her tight against him. Her hands slid up his chest and danced around his shoulders and into those lustrous wisps of black and silver._

_Oberyn pulled away briefly, watching her. "You belong in Dorne, little wolf..." He growled, leaning back down to capture her lips in a searing kiss._

_She made a low sound in the back of her throat, fierce and needy, before her arms wrapped around him, her nails clawing over his back, making him hiss and nip at her lower lip. He quickly drew back, carefully pulling Eliana up so she was sitting as he knelt over her, holding her there, gently and slowly, pulling her dress off until she was completely bare to him. He tossed the dress aside, not looking anywhere but at her face, not wanting her to become nervous._

_Their gazes held as he slowly lowered her until she was laid beneath him. He finally let his gaze slide downwards, taking in the sight of the woman who was meant to be his wife. __He slid his hands up her sides, feeling the soft skin beneath his palms and fingers quiver, and, as he cupped her breasts and..._

Her eyes snapped open when she felt a sharp shove ripple through her body. She could feel the sun's rays falling upon her face, momentarily blinding her that she thought she was in Dorne, where she was meant to be but then the annoying, unwanted face of Jaime Lannister moved into her view, staring down at her.

"We need to leave."

* * *

><p>The banners billowed in the breeze as they made for Harrenhal. It stood tall and burnt, melted and destroyed from dragon fire; twisted and deformed. "We should set the siege lines a thousand yards from Harrenhal." Bolton informed Robb as they sat atop their horses, frowning at the burnt ruin of Harrenhal. standing black and dismal.<p>

Robb's gaze didn't falter from the ruin. "There won't be a siege. The Mountain can't defend a ruin." He replied monotonously.

"I imagine the Mountain will defend whatever Tywin Lannister tells him to defend." Bolton commented dryly.

Robb finally looked to him, seeing the older man watching him. "The Lannisters have been running from us since Oxcross... I'd love a fight. The men would love a fight." He stated with hunger for battle, want for dead Lannisters but that wasn't about to happen. "I don't think we're going to get one." Robb concluded as he kicked his horse and surged forward towards the ruin.

The keep was a mess; bodies handing in all directions, swinging gently from the gushes of the wind. Blood covered the ground they walked, staining their cloak trains as they moved closer to get a better look.

As Robb cautiously moved through, Bolton and Karstark stopped at the Keep entrance, adjusting to the sight before them. "Two hundred Northmen slaughtered like sheep." Karstark said with angst, he was thirsty for vengeance... he wanted the Kingslayer to bleed dry for all the pain he'd caused his family. No, he wanted all Lannisters to bleed.

"The debt will be repaid, my friend. For them and for your sons."

"Will it?" Karstark questioned while he gaze fell on Catelyn, who stood in the shadows. "They rot in the ground while their killer runs free."

Bolton sighed, "The Kingslayer won't remain free for long. My best hunters are after him." He assured the gaunt man who stood beside before he heard his footsteps subside and disappear.

Robb paused when he saw his mother slowly moving to where a man lay, pinned against a fallen wagon. He had an old face and an old house to match. Robb was at her heels, frowning when he saw who she was looking at. "A Mallister?" He pressed darkly, wanting to know why she'd stopped at this poor soul.

"Ser Jeremy." Catelyn murmured, though loud enough for her son to hear. "My father's bannerman."

Feeling eyes upon him, Robb look to his banners and saw them waiting for him to order his mother away. And that's just what he did. "Find her a chamber that will serve as a cell." He commanded, stepping away and staring directly at her back.

As arms took her, Catelyn couldn't help but wonder what had become of her daughter and the Kingslayer. But she wouldn't lose faith in her first-born, she could trust her to see through such an ordeal.

Watching Catelyn being pulled away, Talisa moved to Robb's side and instead of being reminded of their wedding night, she saw a man full of betrayal and hate. She didn't like this side to Robb one bit. "She's your mother." She tried to reason with him.

"She freed Jaime Lannister. The Lannisters robbed them of their sons and she robbed them of their justice."

Talisa sighed at his stubbornness. "And what of your sister, if you are ever see her again are you going to behead her for treason?" She pressed, wanting to know if the man she had married could be capable of such things, especially those concerning his own family.

Robb looked to her then and she saw the hurt in his eyes, she knew he would not want to hurt his sister but with his banners, he would have no choice. "My sister is just as guilty." He told her, himself knowing that that was a lie, he wouldn't be able to do anything to Lia.

Talisa went to reply when coughing erupted from the wagon, drawing their gaze to a worn Maester. "Water. Water." He coughed, licking his lips while Talisa ran to the man with Robb following.

Robb pulled out his waterskin and brought it to the man's lips as Talisa inspected the wound. "This needs to be cleaned and closed." She called out, rushing off to her supplies.

The man took a large gulp as Robb lowered himself to his height. "What's your name, friend?" He asked as Talisa returned, applying a dressing to his neck to stop the bleeding.

"Qyburn." He rasped.

Talisa smiled, "You're lucky to be alive." She commented, resting a hand on his shoulder for comfort while she pressed hard on his wound.

"Lucky?"

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><p>They started east again on the road. The rain was blinding them as it drove into their faces, making it difficult for them to see into the distance. They should both been worn, from without food and without knowing where they were, but Jaime's spirit never dampened thanks to his never-ending optimism.<p>

By late morning they had paused under the cover of an enormous tree. It provided them with excellent shelter, coated with leaves the size of grown men's hands. Eliana sunk down against the trunk and pulled her knees against her chest, slowly generating heat.

Watching her with his eyes, Jaime sighed and crouched before her, taking a swift gulp of their waterskin and then offering it to her. "If we reach a settlement by nightfall, we'll need a room and in the morning, horses will be of great need."

Eliana stared at him; knowing what he was insinuating and annoyed because he couldn't just ask her simply. _Why must he play these games? _

"Don't look at me that way." Jaime smiled, placing a hand on her knee. "Your mother would have supplied you with funds... or did she expect you to whore you way south like you did in Dorne?" He joked, though she didn't look at all amused by the cruel joke and she yanked her knee away.

She didn't make to move.

"Unless you wish for me to unnecessarily grope you and dig around until I stumble across said funds, I suggest you hand it over _now_."

Her mouth tightened, her face looking pained. "You're wrong though," She begun, reaching into her inner pocket and hesitantly handing him a small leather sack. "My mother never issued me any funds, Jaime."

His brow creased as he dumped the coins into his palm thoughtfully. "Where did you get this then if she didn't give it to you?" He wondered cautiously, eyeing her as he silently counted. "Hm - not that generous, shame. Though, it should be enough." He pocketed them.

SHe shrugged, refusing to meet those eyes of his. "I've had it long while." She answered, wondering herself why she'd never felt the need to spend it... to be honest she'd forgotten she had it on her. She had no need to buy anything recently, so it come of no use.

"Who gave it to you?"

Eliana's eyes snapped up to his face, his horrible, annoying face. "My father thought it would come of use in Dorne, he thought I would need it..." She paused, her eyes falling to the ground. "I never did."

His eyes softened and he suddenly felt guilty for demanding it from her. He sighed and nodded, "Think of it this way, you will benefit from this unless you want to sleep outside and die from the cold." She didn't answer and he knew he was right. "I didn't think so, let's go." Jaime helped her up and they started into the rain once more.

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><p><strong>AN: PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**

**EZEIEL****  
><strong>


	16. Midnight Gambit?

**A/N: SO SORRY! I was caught up finishing off the final touches to the trailer for this story! In this chapter, Robb hear's news from Winterfell and Riverrun and it's not good... Jaime and Lia find somewhere to rest for the night and Jaime kills a man, and later returns drunk. Also, Catelyn and Talisa slowly bond. **

**Thank you for all the reviews! I love you all. Keep reading and reviewing, you lovely people! P.S anyone seen the BOTFA yet?! It's brilliant, great way to finish the trilogy...**

**If you wish to watch the trailer, simply venture to my profile and click the link given, or, type _The Lion and the Wolf Fanfiction _into YouTube, it should be about 3/4 of the way down and then watch away! Tell me what you think.**

**Midnight Gambit?**

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><p>Talisa glanced behind, watching her husband as he silently stood above the hearth staring into the dances flames below. "My mother always told me you Westerosi were a grim lot." She begun, walking to him. "Grim, bearded, stinking barbarians that would row across the Narrow Sea and steal us from our beds." There was a soft cheekiness to her voice, playful and kind as she wrapped her arms around him.<p>

"Did you ever think you'd marry one?"

Talisa sighed, "I never thought I'd marry anyone at all." She admitted, running her hands through the furs of his cloak.

"Never?" Robb frowned, turning around to face Talisa.

She smiled and shrugged, "Not until I met the king of the grim, bearded, stinking barbarians." Talisa slowly leant towards him and drew him into a kiss, ignoring the door opening.

"Pardon me, Your Grace." Roose Bolton called out to them as he entered to room, seeing the pair sharing a kiss. "My queen." He bowed his head in respect to the both of them while he carried to scrolls.

Talisa smiled. "Lord Bolton." She bowed her head.

Robb's eyes trailed to the scrolls in his hands, moving forward. "Let me guess which one is the good news." Robb sighed, putting on a smile.

Bolton, however, didn't smile. "Word from Riverrun and Winterfell."

At those words, Robb's face fell.

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><p>She wiped her eyes, not wanting him to see her tears. She couldn't believe her father was dead, she hadn't seen him in years - the last member of her family to see him was either Eliana or her uncle Brynden. <em>He died alone...<em> the guilt spoke. "I hadn't seen him in years. I don't even know how many." Catelyn sobbed, her eyes swimming to meet Robb's.

"We'll travel to the funeral together." Robb informed her. "Lord Bolton will garrison here until we return."

Catelyn closed her eyes, trying to rid herself of her tears. "Will I be wearing manacles when I lay my father to rest?" She pressed, wanting to know if she could hold her wrists without being reminded that she was a prisoner. Robb stared at her silently, and her anxiousness grew with concern. "Something else?" She dared to ask.

Robb looked down, his chest tighening. "By the time Bolton's bastard got to Winterfell, the ironborn were gone. They massacred everyone and put the castle to the torch." He paused, dread flowing through him as he continued to deliver the news that they'd hoped would never come. "And Bran and Rickon have not been found." Catelyn let out another sob, _her two boys, her lovely boys..._ "They may have escaped. Or Theon may have taken them back to the Iron Islands as hostages." Robb carried on, willing himself to know believe that they were dead.

"Have you received any demands?" Catelyn rushed out, desperate to know.

Robb shook his head, sighing. "No."

"Have you heard anything from Theon at all?" Catelyn pleaded almost, needing to know if the boy who had caused this all had been caught.

"No." Robb answered again.

"And what of Bolton's hunters? Have they found your sister?" Catelyn rose to her feet, worried of not hearing anything of her daughter from her son.

"They have not been found."

Catelyn held her head high. "I would like to send a raven to Dorne."

Robb's brow furrowed quickly, _why Dorne? What are they going to do? _"Are the Martells going to come to your aid?" He asked, worrying for his mother as she spoke to him.

She sighed deeply. "No, but they will come because of your sister... Oberyn Martell loves her, he waits for her in Dorne." Catelyn explained clearly. "Do you not understand? If you rally the Dornish behind you, they can take the Capital from the South and you from the North. You can close in."

"But you're forgetting something." Robb noted slowly, still watching her sharply. "We don't have Lia."

"All the more reason for them to come."

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><p>If it were under any other circumstances, Eliana would have refused to even consider sharing a room with Jaime Lannister, but it was more practical than staying out in the cold. Her injuries, her sopping wet clothing, lack of food had worn her to the point where she couldn't be bothered the resist. When they saw the cluster of sout buildings with an innkeeper's sign clanking in the wind, the desire to be warm and dry, nourished with food pushed all other notions away.<p>

Such as her irritation for Jaime Lannister.

He had her sword, her the gold she forgot she had. _There may have been honour in him once, once... _she thought bitterly, watching him stroll ahead of her. How could he be strolling after their fight and all this journey had put them through? Second thoughts, she realised she didn't care.

She lurked outside while Jaime conferred with the innkeeper, soon motioning for her to follow him. She wished that had chosen to not stay in an inn at all given that they were still in the North, she knew if seen, she would easily be recognised. She stepped through the doorway, avoiding attracting an unwanted attention to herself.

From what she could see, the inn was small with only a few tables occupied in the common room. As she crossed the room, two men were leaving and both glanced at her. They looked on, but then both glanced back at her and then she knew. She knew that they knew who she was. "I know you..." The first of the pair spoke, still eyeing her.

Jaime had been well ahead of her when this commotion had stirred but suddenly he was right there, grabbing the man's arm and turning him around. "Why are you pestering my lady friend?" He asked with a small, polite smile that only meant trouble.

The man didn't answer.

"You see when I was a boy, I was told it was rude to stay and approach a lady unannounced." Jaime continued, glaring. "And by the looks of it, you don't know my lady and my lady doesn't know you. So I suggest you apologise."

"Pardon," The man said with false courtesy, "I just thought your _lady _here reminded me of someone, that's all and it seems I made a mistake -"

In a split second, Jaime had angled the blade of his sword along the man's neck. "You think you're a funny man, I can tell... you're not funny."

_So much for not attracting attention... _Eliana thought to herself as she saw the innkeeper approach them.

"Outside," The innkeeper barked.

The man's companion had scarpered and left the man to Jaime's wrath. Jaime and the fellow on the end of his sword followed through the rickety door that shut soundlessly behind them.

She wanted to call him back, but she knew it was too late for that.

The little audience they had acquired, sitting at the tables, had resumed drinking and eating although a few uncertain glances flew her way. Thankfully, Jaime was back within moments, the sword re-sheathed, he then handed the innkeeper a few coins before reaching for her hand and leading her towards the private rooms.

"Please don't tell me you kill." She said once the door was closed, "Please say you didn't. Tell me you didn't."

Jaime shot her a small smile before striding to the table where sat a small pitcher and soon took a drink, then moved to remove his cloak. "Would you rather me lie to you, Lia?"

"I would've you rather not have killed him." She argued.

Jaime laughed, "What are you going to do?" He raised an eyebrow, playfully. "Slap me on the wrist? _Fight me?_"

"Don't tempt me..."

"You amuse me, little wolf." He said, monotonously, turning on his heel. "I'm starved, so I am going to go back down to eat. I'll send someone up, as you said, it's best we don't draw attention to ourselves."

Eliana looked to him bitterly, "I think it's safe to say you've already ruined all hopes of _that_." Upon hearing her words, Jaime left the room and she was grateful, grateful she could have a moment to herself. She sank down, collapsing into one of the overly large wooden chairs, with sopping wet clothes that no longer brought her any comfort and barely had any shape left to them.

The room was rather large and welcoming, much more than she'd expected for a wayside inn such as this one. Beside the table and chairs, there was a warm hearth, already started. Opposite the window, sat the bed which she couldn't bring upon herself to look at for the time being, despite how inviting it looked.

Jaime had kept his word, though. Soon after he'd left, a serving woman had ventured to the room with a plate of food and another pitcher of water. She'd left the plate on the table along with the pitcher and fled the room when Eliana had ordered her to. Once the door had shut again, Eliana sighed and rose to her feet. Out of caution, she positioned one of the chairs and propped it against the handle of the door; hopefully to slow down any unwelcome visitors trying to come in.

Her armour was the first to go, then followed by her baggy silken tunic and other various pieces of her clothing. Sighing to herself again, she took a wool blanket from the bed and then chose to cocoon herself before returning to set her damp things by the fire.

After eating, not particularly a lot, Eliana pulled out another chair and moved back towards the fire, re-adjusting her blanket and then sinking into the chair. She was dreading the moment of Jaime's return, already knowing that he would first engage in the unwelcoming banter concerning the fact that her clothes were off or that of the bed in the room. _Probably both_...she thought to herself, rolling her eyes. But somehow, she managed to bypass those thoughts and relax with the warmth of the hearth.

The fire was dying peacefully and she'd finally found some solace from this little piece of luxury when the door banged open, jolting her from her sleep.

"Little wolf?! Where are you, are you hiding?"

Was he drunk? Second thoughts, she didn't care, yet she was weary. She'd never met a drunk Jaime Lannister, unknown to his attitude when drunk, she decided to approach with caution. "What do you want?" Her voice called him to her.

Jaime wandered over to her, frowning confusedly almost. He saw that she was no wearing her travel attire and in fact, was wrapped in a blanket. He then saw that she was sat by the fire and as far away from the bed as possible. "There is a bed." He announced, gestured to the four-poster in the room. "Do you intend to sleep in the chair?"

"Yes."

She expected him to argue with her, to tease her, taunt him... but he didn't.

"Very well, lovely Lia. Suit yourself, more room for me." He said, sauntering towards the far end of the room.

She let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, not sure if she should take the opportunity to re-claim her sword and stolen gold or simply take pleasure in the fact that he was leaving her be for once. She could him moving about, ridding himself of his clothes most likely, before climbing into bed.

She closed her eyes again when there were a few moments of silence, however, then he spoke again. His voice now had a drowsy, drunken tone to it. "Just to let you know, the weapons and gold are _right here besides me_... you're welcome to _try_ and get them back, though I should warn you, I am as naked as you are under these covers. So if you fancy a midnight gambit of the Lion and the Wolf..." He yawned and didn't finish the sentence, thankfully.

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><p>The troops marched along, once again on the move through the ongoing paths that led them towards Riverrun. It wasn't ideal but it would be wrong to bypass the funeral of his grandfather. "We're at war. This march is a distraction." Karstark hissed from Robb's side as they watched the troops before them.<p>

"My grandfather's funeral is not a distraction." Robb chastised the man bitterly.

Karstark sighed but didn't fail to continue to pester Robb with unwanted questions. "Are we riding to battle at Riverrun?" He pressed, and Robb immediately knew what he was getting at.

"No."

"Then it's a distraction." Kastark confirmed.

Robb gritted his teeth in annoyance and shook his head. "My Uncle Edmure has his forces garrisoned there. We need his men." Robb told him, trying persuade him with the knowing of more men were waiting for them at Riverrun.

Karstark scoffed to himself, he knew as well as Robb that Riverrun had lost more than half of their troops at the battle of Whispering Wood. "Unless he's been breeding them, he don't have enough to make a difference."

Robb's face swung toward him in a moment of fury at the words reaching his ears. "Have you lost faith in our cause?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow, wanting to know if the man next to him had no more faith and was ready to run home.

Kastark nodded, "If it's revenge, I still got faith in it." He answered.

"If you no longer believe..." Robb begun but he was interrupted by Kastark.

"I can believe till it snows in Dorne. Don't change the fact that we've got half the men." He growled in reply, sour and bitter, knowing that his chances of revenge were slipping through his fingers with each day, each hour and each minute.

He smiled, scoffing to himself in disbelief. He thought their goal was clear, obviously not because now his men where questioning his clarity. "You don't think we can win?" He asked absently.

"May I speak my mind, Your Grace?"

Robb let out a breathless laugh, staring directly ahead of him. "Have you not been speaking your mind, Lord Karstark?" Robb said, watching as he wife rode by them, a smile trying force itself upon him.

Kastark also spotted her and grimaced. "I think you lost this war the day you married her." He admitted, staring darkly, knowing if Robb _had_ married the Frey girl they would not be in the position they were now in.

Hearing the whining sounds of a horse, Catelyn's gaze trailed upwards and fell upon Talisa, her son's wife. She had to ignore all the anger and continued to make her prayer wheel. She missed the company of her daughter, the sarcastic comments that she would laugh and smile at... but she'd sent her on her way. "Whoa, whoa." She could hear _her _now and she glanced at the woman from Volantis once more.

"You're afraid of her. And she knows it." Catelyn commented, strangely feeling as though that would be something Eliana would say out of spite because she disliked the woman. She knew Talisa had done nothing to harm her but she didn't agree with the secret marriage.

"I'm not afraid of her." Talisa argued while her horse snorted, as though it was thinking otherwise. She saw Catelyn was busy constructing a wheel of sorts, though she had no understanding of why. "May I help you, Lady Stark?" She asked, afraid the woman would snap at her again, in truth, she had no way of knowing how to approach her.

"No."

The reply was sharp and bitter that it startled Talisa. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." She started but Catelyn caught her off her guard yet again.

"You can't help because a mother makes one for her children to protect them. Only a mother can make them." Catelyn in the space of a few seconds, had gone from being a hostile northern soul, to being an innocent mother. It showed her pained, broken heart and her fragile persona that was crumbling to pieces.

Talisa pulled off her gloves, tilting her head. She was now reassured that Catelyn Stark did not completely hate her. "You've made them before?" She frowned, sitting near her, wanting to watch this strange tradition.

"Thrice."

"Did they work?" Talisa asked quietly.

Catelyn knew she had to be civil to this woman for Robb's sake, so she nodded. "After a fashion." She started, cautiously sending her a look and the paused in her making. "I prayed for my son Bran to survive his fall. Years before, my daughter Lia, came down with a fever that she caught from her father... many years before that, one of the boys came down with the pox." Catelyn explained to her, her hands slowing winding the material around the wheel. "Maester Luwin said if he made it through the night, he'd live. But it would be a very long night. So I sat with him all through the darkness. Listened to his ragged little breaths, his coughing, his whimpering."

Talisa's eyes narrowed, "Which boy?"

"Jon Snow." She let out, feeling the loathing feeling come rushing back. "When my husband brought that baby home from the war, I couldn't bear to look at him. I didn't want to see those brown stranger's eyes staring up at me." She told the young woman truthfully, seeing no point in disguising what a horrible person she was. "So I prayed to the gods, _take him away. Make him die_... he got the pox." Her voice was quiet now, barely audible. "And I knew I was the worst woman who ever lived." Catelyn paused, remembering how Eliana had shouted at her when she would glower at Jon, remembering how _her _children loved him.

She sucked in a breath, she was guilty beyond measure but that boy would never forget her and how she treated him. "A murderer. I'd condemned this poor, innocent child to a horrible death all because I was jealous of his mother. _A woman he didn't even know_." Catelyn bit out, ashamed of herself, for all she'd done. "So I prayed to all seven gods, _let the boy live. Let him live and I'll love him. I'll be a mother to him. I'll beg my husband to give him a true name, to call him Stark and be done with it, to make him one of us_." Catelyn remembered, while Talisa sat silently and listened.

"And he lived." Talisa added, a small smile on her lips. She didn't truly think that Catelyn was a bad person... _any mother would have done the same, wouldn't have they?_ She found herself asking.

She nodded. "And he lived... and I couldn't keep my promise." Catelyn sighed, it was her fault... all of this, everything that had happened was because of her and her unkept promises. _Her jealousy_. "And everything that's happened since then... all this horror that's come to my family... it's all because _I_ couldn't love a motherless child." She closed her eyes, wishing she had the power to turn back time and could have the chance to love Jon Snow but, that would never be possible.

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><p><strong>AN: Please read and reiview!**

**Ezeiel**


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